The Impact Your Health Portland clinics have always been miracle magnets, and the July 8 & 10, 2022 clinic was no exception.
“I really needed someone who was an expert in IT and had prayed for that miracle person to come soon. When Mick Fandrich offered to meet that need, I felt like God had just dropped a gift into my life. Then, when Rochelle White offered to serve as assistant to the clinic coordinator, it was as if God was breathing new hope and strength into the clinic.” says clinic coordinator Brenda Duerksen.
"I have always wanted to volunteer for a clinic like this, and was thrilled I could help with Impact. I’m exhaustedly happy!"
“I’m truly grateful that I had such an opportunity to be a part of this event, so thank you again.”
Nearly 350 volunteers registered for the event and worked to provide care for 154 patients on Friday and 194 more on Sunday. The dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and dental students served 198 patients. Optometrists, opticians, and vision assistants served 175 patients. The medical staff, including one medical student, served 45 patients. Nurses (RN’s and LPN’s) screened and triaged all the patients, while massage therapist Cathy was relieving stress-filled muscles for 31 patients; nail technician Bree was doing podiatry care for 36 patients; myofascial release therapist Elizabeth was giving relief to 26 patients in pain, and TJ was doing haircuts for 46 clients!!! Cecelia and her team happily gave away 130 school backpacks, and we had been hoping for at least 100 backpacks to be donated to give away!
And I’m sure I’ve missed a dozen other professionals who volunteered their skills and time, including professional chef Ken and his able assistant, Lisa, and their team, who provided at least 750 amazing and delicious meals for the volunteers! And Nancy and her childcare team who cared for 20 children. And Jackee and her children’s ministries team who gave away 22 activity bags and children’s Bibles. With the many Hispanic patients who came, Jackee’s goal is to have Spanish Bibles for the children in 2023.
Ed, our community resources director managed the delightful challenge of distributing 200 40 pound Bountiful Food Boxes from FEMA on both Friday and Sunday. Each box contained standard American, Latinx, Halal, and Asian shelf stable canned and dry boxed foods. The patients also enjoyed 250 delicious plant-based bowl meals from Adventist Health Garden Café on Friday, and 250 Veggie Delight Wraps from Ozzie’s Deli at Adventist Medical Center on Sunday.
Mick, our statistical guru, says more than 3,000 volunteer hours were logged!
“I am here because the man who’s been taking me to church told me he’d bring me and my wife for a tooth cleaning. We got a whole lot more than that today, and we even signed up for Bible studies with the pastor of the church we’ve been visiting.”
Last year the Impact Clinic partnered with the Oregon Health Authority and FEMA to include a vaccination clinic as part of the event. This year it was much more difficult to make this happen, until Dr. John Gobble with Lifestyle Medicine Group offered to provide the system support necessary to bring FEMA and the OHA on board again. That relationship added so much to our effectiveness in the community. And it was good to have a Vaccination Clinic as part of IYHP ’22.
"I came to this clinic last year, and you guys gave me more than just better teeth and new glasses, you gave me hope and a new life. Thank you! I’m clean and looking for a job and a place to live off the streets."
Have you met Randy and Marta of Caring Hands Worldwide? They provide clinics like this in Malawi, Zambia, Argentina, Micronesia, American Samoa, and a score of other places – like Portland! They brought a trailer filled with dental chairs, equipment, and supplies and then spent many hours setting everything up, connecting the air compressor, and keeping all the drills drilling, suctions sucking, and lights lighting. Everything worked perfectly!
And the big guy in the white t-shirt? That’s Vinh of Mission Minded Worldwide. He’s the fellow who brought more dental chairs and dental equipment, all the registration and medical triage supplies, and a bunch of other stuff so we could have 30 dentists working Friday. Without Vinh and Randy, Impact PDX Clinic could not happen!
“I love participating in the Impact clinics. It gives our dental students and their professors opportunities to experience real life challenges that they could only find here. This year we brought 30 dental students and 6 dental school professors on Friday. They added a whole new level of energy in the clinic.” says Dr. Nicola of Oregon Health Sciences University.
Did I mention that we had volunteers giving foot massages? Connie and her team helped more than 42 patients receive a warm foot bath and massage, plus each one being given a new pair of socks! And that Harold was one of the foot massage volunteers? “I would have driven my car over to the clinic,” he said, “but I’m 91, and my family won’t let me drive anymore. I’m so glad I could come help today, even though I walked a mile to get here by 7:00 AM!”
There are 178 pairs of new prescription eyeglasses in the mail to our vision patients!
