Posted on 02/11/2009 6:56:32 AM PST by maggief
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Reaching out Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (NY) - Wednesday, June 16, 2004 Author: DC, Cynthia Benjamin, Staff Doctors and other medical staff volunteer time to treat patients
BY STAFF WRITER
CYNTHIA BENJAMIN
Corey Hughes ‘ thyroid gland was bothering him - again. He needed medical attention, but had no money to get it. Hughes , 33, a computer programmer who lives in Rochester, has no steady job, no health insurance, no doctor.
So, when Dr. Carolyn Mok examined him June 2 at Mercy Outreach Center on Webster Avenue, not only did Hughes get necessary treatment for his thyroid condition, he also took comfort in something else: the service was free.
(Excerpt) Read more at infoweb.newsbank.com ...
Mok, 51, a medical doctor who has a practice at 175 Lyell Ave., is among hundreds of medical professionals in Monroe County - no exact number is available - who give their expertise, pro bono, to people such as Hughes - people whom physicians commonly call the underserved, the working poor, the uninsured.
In all, medical professionals - physicians, dentists, radiologists, nurses and others - devote thousands of volunteer hours each year, treating people in need, charging nothing because the patients have little or nothing to pay.
In their volunteer work, medical professionals treat everything from toothaches to heart disease.
Some volunteer on the staffs at places that serve people in need, such as St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center, 417 South Ave., run by Sister Christine Wagner of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Others see patients in their offices at no cost or at a reduced fee.
Art Streeter of the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency says about one in 10 people in Monroe County does not have medical insurance, so volunteer medical professionals are vital.
``Most of the physicians look at this (volunteering) as part of what being a physician is,’’ says Nancy Adams, executive director of the Monroe County Medical Society, a group of more than 1,700 doctors from Monroe and six other counties.
``In the old days, it was just common practice (for physicians) to give back. That philosophy didn’t just go away because there are programs available to patients,’’ such as Medicaid and Family Health Plus insurance plans, Adams said.
Making ends meet
Hughes , who has not had a steady job for two years, recently took on temporary work for Superior Staffing Services, 26 Corporate Woods.
It’s tough, says the Monroe Community College graduate.
``I can’t even get a job at Wendy’s (after applying more than once),’’ he says, but ``I feel good. I’m thankful to God.’’
Though Hughes wouldn’t reveal his salary, he says he doesn’t earn enough money in his temporary job to pay a doctor.
He helps take care of his mother, a breast cancer survivor who says even with Medicaid, she hasn’t seen a doctor in more than a year because she can’t afford to pay any percentage not covered by her insurance plan. Having Medicaid disqualifies her from pro bono services.
Yet she was thankful that Mok examined her son, who otherwise would not have received treatment.
``There isn’t many doctors that will see you if you don’t have insurance,’’ says Henrietta Hughes , 56. ``There’s doctors, just out of the compassion and goodness of his heart, that will give his service or her service, and I’m very grateful to God.’’
(snip)
..
(no link)
CORRECTION Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (NY) - Wednesday, June 16, 2004 Author: DC, Cynthia Benjamin, Staff
Henrietta Hughes , 56, of Rochester has Medicare insurance. A story on Page 1F in the Our Towns section Wednesday described her health coverage inaccurately.
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ping
ping
Is this the same Henrietta Hughes who begged a house from Obaaa yesterday?
Great find! Henrietta seems to have a long track record doing the Queen for a Day poverty routine (for people too young to remember, Queen for a Day was a TV program where people got picked to have their stories told and recieve money and products on the basis of horrible things that had happened to them in their lives).
I’d bet she has had prior contact with the Obama campaign, too.
Yes, one and the same.
You know who I'm talking about.
Certainly looks like it.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/feb/10/homeless-woman-pleads-obama-help-locals-step/
Homeless woman pleads to Obama for help, locals step up
Bonita Daily News (Bonita Springs, FL) - Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Author: MATT CLARK
Her prayers have finally been answered.
For nearly a year, Henrietta Hughes , 61, and her son Corey, 37, have lived in a pickup truck at various parks in the Fort Myers area.
Hughes said she prayed for her life to change during those uncomfortable, undignified nights, some of which were spent at Centennial Park near the Harborside Event Center in downtown Fort Myers. She told President Barack Obama of those prayers Tuesday.
“I have an urgent need, unemployment and homelessness, a very small vehicle for my family and I to live in,” Henrietta said when Obama called on her during the question-and-answer session of the town hall meeting he held at Harborside. “The housing authority has two years’ waiting lists, and we need something more than the vehicle and the parks to go to. We need our own kitchen and our own bathroom. Please help.”
Tears poured from her eyes, a lightning bolt struck through the nation’s media and the president leaned down to kiss her on the cheek.
“We’re going to do everything we can to help you, but there are a lot of people like you,” Obama said, adding that his staff would meet with her to help out.
In an instant, it appeared the family’s dream of a kitchen and a bathroom came true, and then they were surrounded by reporters and then they disappeared.
“Interviews, interviews and more interviews,” Corey Hughes said when asked how he expected the rest of his day to go following the town hall. His mom had been approached by a producer with CNN after the event, but it’s unclear whether she granted the interview request.
Henrietta Hughes said she was given the card of the director of a housing program by a White House staffer. At about 2:30 p.m., the family left the event center for a meal and a nap, and could not be reached since.
Corey Hughes, who left his job in New York in early 2008, said he had been trying to take care of his mom. Both have searched for jobs and have come up empty, as have so many other Southwest Floridians. Henrietta said the family came here due to the high cost of living in New York.
(snip)
Wonder how Ms. Hughes scored tickets to ObamaPalooza?
Is this the same Henrietta Hughes who begged a house from Obaaa yesterday?
***I think she wanted her own kitchen and bathroom. Don’t remember anything about a house. Maybe The One could give her a couple of displays like you see at Home Depot.***
I posted this on the other thread....I’m gonna put it here as well.
IN A PICK UP!(sorry Rush)
As the snow flies
At a used car lot on the edge of town
A sweet old lady and her deadbeat son
Buy a pick-up
And they drive with pride
Cause if there’s one thing that Florida needs
is another snowbird with 2 mouths to feed
In a pickup
IOW, who planted her?
I nominate this as find of the year, GF!
Were there’s smoke there’s fire. FReepmail, gf!
They "live in a truck" because they follow Obama around.
These people have no shame! The phoniness of these poverty pimps gets down right comical!
She was conveniently on the front row!
How sad it all falls on conservative talk radio!
Obama: Generational Theft President, Fulfilling Dreams of the Give Me Folks.
Michelle Malkin also had questions about the 19 year old hispanic guy that has worked at McDonalds for 4 l/2 years, which would mean he started when he was 14...
A gal called Glenn Beck this morning, and said she knew of this guy, and he only works there part time. Beck is trying to locate this guy and offer him 1 hour on air, as guy stated he was going to college to perhaps become a DJ.
No, MSM won’t give it a mention, unless to say how po’ Henrietta’s life has been scrutinized.
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