Bayou Clinic Report: I would like to thank all of you who took the time to write to the governor of LA about the clinic licensure. Along with all the other things we did -- IT WORKED!!! We were contacted with an invitation to get licensure within three days. Yahoo! This is NOT a small thing and those of you who wrote should feel mighty proud to be a part of it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Now the not so good news. Our invitation came right before Thanksgiving and Loudoun Medical Group had to make a tough decision to postpone as it would have been next to impossible to get volunteer docs (after several on again off again episodes in October). Although it hurt, I have to agree that it was the right decision to make under the circumstances. Better news is that after the holidays LMG will reassess the situation and I am hoping decide to open the clinic. :-)
A HUGE thanks to Cutessa and Robert Bourge, MD who gave a very generous donation for our work!
In the meantime, we have made some great contacts with a nurse (Elaine Langely) in NOLA and a Dr. Rose in Oregon who have been working with several of the other tribes. Thanks to info from Bev. at D'Iberville Clinic we were able to coordinate the donation of a hospital bed from the Salvation Army warehouse in Biloxi to Margaret Verdin on Isle de Jean Charles who lost hers in Hurricane Ike. Elaine is coordinating transport of the bed through a non-profit she volunteers with called Plenty. Thanks to Gordon and everyone involved there. If you know of anyone else who needs a hospital bed I think there are several more that we could get.
Elaine Langley, RN giving Margaret Verdin a diabetic kit.
Other great news: Bayer Company came through with another shipment of diabetic supplies. We are in the process of making kits and shipping them out and will give a full report on how many went where next update. If you want to volunteer to help put the kits together, please email me at capbham@aol.com. ;-)
AND, at our suggestion NAFC (Nat'l Assoc. of Free Clinics) will add to their new web site a place where doctors and nurses can sign up if they are interested in volunteering after disasters! How cool is that! Thanks Nicole! I'll let you know as soon as their web site is up and running.
Dr. Carl has notified me that he has 6 oxygen concentrators to give away. We put out that notice and so far one clinic has asked for one.
Collections: We are also in need of blankets and space heaters to send to Angie Free Clinic for their community. Gently used is fine on both! Please bring them to the CAP office at 1704 5th Ave. North. If you need to make delivery after hours just call ahead 251-0111 and someone will meet you at the office.
A big thank you to our wonderful partners at Cousins Properties for their food collection around Thanksgiving and Christmas Donations that we just picked up!! The food will go to the Bayous (we had to delay transport as we just didn't have enough supplies and food to justify a trip down) and the toys will be distributed locally through Greater Birmingham Ministries.
As always, Laura Admin. Assist./Disaster Relief Coord.
