Patient Success Stories
“Thank you, thank you, thank you! Because of you, my daughter is alive today!”
Anita had a sharp pain in her lower abdomen that would not go away and was growing worse. She was running a high fever, was doubled over in pain, and slipping in and out of consciousness. Anita was not a US citizen and had no health insurance. Her family, anxious about her condition, wanted to get Anita care, but they had no money, do not know who trust to help, and were afraid to go to the local emergency room. When Anita’s condition worsened, her brother carried her to his car and drove her to the Free Clinic.
Volunteer medical staff immediately recognized the seriousness of the situation and called for an ambulance. Free Clinic staff and volunteers assured Anita’s family that Anita would receive the medical care she needed with no repercussions for not being a US citizen. As the staff explained, “We will help you through this.”
Later that day we learned that Anita had been just hours away from suffering a burst appendix. Without immediate medical care, Anita might have died. Anita has fully recovered from her experience and today is an active member of our community.
“I just bought my daughter a new dress for school. Without your help, I would not have been able to do that. Thank you for helping make my life better.”
Linda had worked in the same job nearly five years and then was laid off. Linda’s health insurance was provided by her employer. When Linda lost her job, she also lost her health insurance coverage. Linda, a single mother raising a nine-year-old daughter, needed a pre-employment physical to obtain a new job she had been offered. Unemployment payments would not start for many weeks. Medicaid coverage was even farther out on the calendar. Linda needed the job, but she couldn’t pay for the cost of a doctor visit and physical.
A friend who volunteered at the Free Clinic told her that the Clinic provided free pre-employment physicals for people in Linda’s situation. Linda called the Free Clinic and scheduled an appointment for a physical with a volunteer clinician.
Today, Linda is employed with a local firm that provides health insurance to their employees and Linda’s daughter is enjoying her new dress.
“Thank you so much for being in Ithaca. I wish there were more clinics like this. If it wasn’t for your services, I would have lost my job at (local employer).”
Sam is a hard-working member of our community. He works two jobs to make ends meet. Neither employer provides health insurance coverage. Sam earns too much to be eligible for Medicaid and not enough to afford private health insurance.
Sam had the flu. It started as a head cold and then moved into his chest. Sam did not have the money to see a doctor and couldn’t afford to miss work. He put off seeking help until his symptoms got the best of him. When Sam came to the Free Clinic, he had a high fever and was having trouble breathing. Sam had pneumonia.
With the help of a volunteer medical provider, antibiotics provided at no charge, and a note from the Clinic Coordinator to Sam’s employer explaining his situation, Sam recovered fully and kept his job.
“Please accept this check, the first of many, to show my appreciation for helping me when no one else would. You helped to change my life. Thank you.”
Ricardo came to the Free Clinic in the summer of 2016 in pain and barely able to walk. He and his wife were new to our community, recently relocating from Puerto Rico. They were starting a business, had no health insurance, and needed help. Volunteer medical providers diagnosed Ricardo’s condition: a severe hernia.
With the help of the Clinic Coordinator and volunteer Financial Advocates, arrangements were made to get Ricardo the help he needed, both medical and financial. Many of the Free Clinic’s patients are “one and done,” getting the help they need and moving on with their lives. We often do not hear from them again. We did not hear back from Ricardo after he left our care.
Then, one summer day, Ricardo came into the Clinic and presented the Clinic Coordinator with a sizable donation in the form of a check. Ricardo went on to recount that his surgery and recovery had been a success. Because of the Clinic’s help, he and his wife were able to move forward with their dream of starting their own business.
A year later, their business was up and running, they have several employees, and a growing roster of clients. Ricardo said that none of that would have happened if the Free Clinic had not been there to help him when he needed it the most.
Your Support for the Ithaca Free Clinic makes all this possible.
These community members are real people, good people who were stuck in a dangerous place, denied access to healthcare when they needed it the most.
The patients the Ithaca Free Clinic serves and supports work at our daycare centers, prepare and serve our food at our restaurants, stock the shelves and run the cash registers at the stores we shop in.
They are the individuals providing care at our nursing homes, starting new businesses, and servicing our cars. They are the people who are building and remodeling our homes, painting the church and apartment building down the street, and cleaning our offices and workplaces late at night while we are home with our families.
They are members of our extended family, our neighbors, the good friend who just lost their job or spouse and as a consequence, lost their health insurance.
They are good people facing barriers to healthcare, barriers that any one of us could suddenly and unexpectedly face as life happens and our futures unfold.
The Ithaca Free Clinic receives no federal or state financial funding. We rely on community support, both in the form of monetary donations, in-kind donations, and the generous donation of the time and talent of our volunteers. Thank you for any help you can provide. We look forward to working with you to ensure that care and healing for the most vulnerable members of our community is available in their moment of need, regardless of their ability to pay.
Sincerely,
Norbert G. McCloskey
Executive Director
Ithaca Free Clinic
*Names have been changed to protect patient privacy.