Elizabeth and Salvador’s story
When Salvador got laid off, he lost health insurance and with it the means to take care of his diabetes. When his wife Elizabeth got laid off and lost her health insurance, she had to stop taking care of her thyroid condition. For a year they both went without care, until in the summer of 2009 they found the Essential Health Clinic.
“It’s great to know there are people out there caring for the uninsured,” Elizabeth said. “Somebody with a big heart.”
Care Coordinator Kari Halvorson enrolled Elizabeth and Salvador in Project Access. Elizabeth and Salvador went to Hillsboro Internal Medicine and Dr. Chowdhury, and now they both follow their respective treatment plans, honor their check-up schedules, and receive discounted medication through Pharmacy Bridge.
Elizabeth sounded incredulous talking about her experience. “When we’re at the Clinic, they treat us as if we had the best insurance in the world. They know we’re not paying anything but they treat us just the same. They even provide interpreters. We’re very thankful – we don’t know where we’d be without Project Access. You fixed our lives.”
Salvador’s impressions mirrored his wife’s. “I volunteer at the [Oregon] Food Bank, so I see a lot of need these days. At our church we tell people about the Clinic. Then they come back and thank us because they were able to get care. I just like to say thank you for everything you do for people who need help.”
(February 2010)
