Lindsey Zachary, Friday pharmacy volunteer has been awarded a four year half-tuition scholarship to John Brown University. She is considering a major in Spanish and the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) emphasis … “I would love to teach overseas one day, and do missions work along with the teaching.”

Clinic update

The clinic has been open an extra day each week (Wednesdays) since Hurricane Katrina. The number of evacuees has decreased to the extent that we will close Wednesdays beginning in May.  

Common Grace Ministries is funding a position for a Burmese woman (Caroline) who is performing some clerical functions and outreach and assistance to other Burmese refugees. Working with Leslie and Baylor students she has been able to change some lives:

·      A 3-4 months pregnant woman had her first prenatal appointment. She was admitted to the hospital from the prenatal clinic and is now being followed in OB Comp Clinic at Parkland.

·      A woman in distress was started on medication for PTSD and started counseling. For those readers who do not follow the situation in Burma (Myanmar), forced labor, forced relocation, torture, and institutionalized rape are very common.

·      A man with traumatic amputation (landmine) and poorly fitting, very heavy prosthesis and resulting pain is receiving specialized care and rehabilitation (job training) – and will receive a new prosthesis. 

·      A five year old girl with history of three malaria attacks and hepatomegaly and another five year old with malnutrition and scabies (we treated the scabies) were enrolled at Children’s Medical Center Continuity Clinic.

Gynecology services continue, provided by Mary Ann Faucher, PhD, CNM (Baylor) and Julie Farrow, M.D. Services include Pap smears, STI screening, endometrial biopsy, limited contraception, and primary care. A large majority of women seen through this services have not had a Pap in two or more years. Photo: Mary Ann Faucher & Nora Avila discussing a patient

Mary Horn, a recently recertified RN has joined the clinic staff as clinic RN (volunteer). Among her activities are triage and work-ups, promotora training, improving order in the pharmacy, ordering and inventorying medications, managing patient flow, and the like. Having Mary in the clinic weekdays is a breakthrough for staff and patients.

Community Health

Thus far in 2006 Agape has held one mammogram and other (hypertension, diabetes, asthma, cholesterol, kidney function, etc.) screening event. This was the largest event we have had, with 138 people screened and treatment initiated on more than 30 people with positive findings. Baylor students performed brilliantly in planning and implementing this event in cooperation with the Kidney Foundation of North Texas and the UTSW Mobile Mammography crew.

Community health education continues at Zaragoza and Lipscomb Elementary Schools through Baylor students and promotoras, at the clinic through the Concilio Dallas’ Diabetes Education Project classes, and through teaching of individual patients by doctors, nurses, and promotoras.

New collaborative relationships with community and other agencies include work with AIDS Interfaith, Refugee Services of North Texas, National Association of Nonprofit Clinics, and National Kidney Foundation of North Texas.

Kelley Berberich, FNP & faithful volunteer is moving with her family to California. Thank you Kelley, for your quality care and wonderful support to the patients and clinic - and for your friendship.

We'll miss you!