Everyone Should Have the Opportunity to Be Healthy, Regardless of Income

The dream to start Bethesda Community Clinic began when our Executive Director, Karen Fegely, was a nurse. With years of experience in the Cherokee County Health Department and Wellstar's Women's Center, she had seen many people who needed health services, but could not afford them.  She moved toward her dream by going back to school and becoming a Nurse Practitioner, so she could help people become and stay healthy, regardless of their income.

However, she noticed that there was no where in Cherokee County for people to receive healthcare if they didn't have any money.  With less funds coming in for the local Health Department, many services were no longer offered, and there was no alternative except for Karen to meet with needy patients in her car at a Kmart parking lot.

She started by organizing free healthcare clinics at the homeless shelter in Canton, with volunteers seeing over 90 people in 6 hours in the first clinic.  But once-a-month clinics didn't help people who got sick between free clinics, and did not allow people to take care of other issues related to chronic conditions. Karen knew that Bethesda Community Clinic needed a home.

Encouraged by the Georgia Volunteer Health Care Program's Volunteer Coordinator, she moved forward, raising money, volunteers and awareness until in October of 2011, Bethesda Community Clinic was able to obtain an office suite in Mountain Brook Condos under the Holly Springs water tower.  The clinic was only open on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm for Cherokee County residents who met 150% of the poverty level for their family, and was staffed only by volunteers.

Over $15,000 worth of services were provided through the end of 2011, but Karen realized that 4 hours a week was not truly going to meet the needs of the many people who needed access to healthcare.  In addition, she realized that there were many people who were above the poverty level but who still could not afford healthcare.  This was particularly true for people with chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. They require medicines that they aren't able to take because they can't afford to go to a doctor to have labs done and medicines prescribed.

So Karen made the life-altering decision to quit her job as a Nurse Practitioner in another facility to keep the clinic open during the week as well. As of March 5, 2012, the clinic will be open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, and Friday from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm.  These healthcare appointments are open to anyone from any county and at any income level (as opposed to the income and county restrictions required for free healthcare).  Best of all, the patients who utilize the low-cost services will actually be helping support the clinic so it can continue and expand its free services to the poor.

So if you know of anyone who has a chronic illness but is not taking care of it because they do not have sufficient income to pay for services, please send them to Bethesda Community Clinic.  If someone wakes up sick and needs attention, point them in our direction.  Together, we can make sure that everyone in Cherokee County has the opportunity to be healthy, regardless of income.  Find out more at http://BethesdaCommunityClinic.org.