CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Va. — The interior of Cumberland High School was transformed into a haven for healing for more than 100 people thanks to the nonprofit Remote Area Medical (RAM) on Saturday.
“If you say you need care, we’re here to help,” Clinic Coordinator Kim Faulkinbury said. “We’re here to help alleviate pain and suffering by providing free quality healthcare.”
For the past 10 years, Faulkinbury has been coordinating the free one-stop-shop clinic all over the country for immediate dental, vision, and medical services through RAM.
The weekend-long clinic opened its doors around 6 a.m. Saturday, immediately registering 150 individuals from Virginia and beyond.
“You take a map of the U.S., and you stick a pin on it. It doesn’t matter where you stick that pin, there will be need there,” said Faulkinbury. “Our second patient in the door this morning drove down from Frederick, Maryland, had serious dental needs that had to be taken care of, and we were able to get everything done for him this morning.”
As for how Cumberland County was chosen to host the free clinic, Faulkinbury says that the nonprofit doesn’t decide where to go; rather, they respond to communities that request assistance for their constituents through what’s known as a Community Host Group Model.
Faulkinbury explains that over a year ago, the Piedmont Area Health District visited a previous RAM clinic, expressing a desire to hold something similar in Cumberland County and provided the means to help make it happen. From there, PAHD began coordinating with the school districts, hotels, food providers, and potential volunteers to get the county ready to host the clinic.
Roanoke-based dentist Zack Swanner volunteered his time along with four of his residents to help make Saturday’s clinic possible.
“Obviously we’ve got a great team with RAM and their core volunteers, but without the volunteers, there wouldn’t be dentists or hygienists here,” Swanner said. “I love these events because we are reaching a community of people that might otherwise not get dental care.”
All this is to help overcome the barriers that block communities from getting adequate healthcare.
“We bring the structure and work on recruiting the dentists, eye doctors, and regular doctors. We set up, and we’re able to see people,” said Faulkinbury. “We are willing to work with any community that is willing to work with us and get everything together needed for the clinic.”
Volunteers like Rebecca Wood, who helps produce prescription glasses for patients, are just some of the many hands behind this help.
“We have to take care of the need and the people who need healthcare now,” said Wood.
She understands RAM’s vision not just because she helps people see as the nonprofit’s vision lab lead, but also because she remembers a time when financial barriers to medicine nearly crippled her.
“My daughter was born at 26 weeks. She’s now 13 and doing well, but her healthcare costs were crushing to me, and I struggled to get care,” said Wood. “I lost everything to the healthcare system, and when I was having to choose between my care and my daughter's, I ended up losing my teeth and parts of my jaw.”
Wood says that left her "very angry."
"I needed to do something with that anger so that it wouldn’t destroy me, so I started volunteering for RAM,” Wood said.
Easy access is what drew patients like Agnes Anderson, who made the 40-minute drive from Crewe, Virginia.
“For those who live close, it’s a blessing. For those who live far out, it's a blessing,” Anderson said. “Either way you put it, if you come, you’re going to be smiling.”
So far, RAM has provided $45.4 million in total value of care to Virginia alone, serving 142,000 patients. The non-profit has made 30,756 pairs of glasses, completed 86,765 extractions, and performed 38,341 fillings.
“I remember what having this access to healthcare meant to me when I didn’t always have access, so it helps me feel better about things and about the world,” said Wood. “That is why I do this; I believe healthcare is a human right, and everyone deserves access to care.”
“We’re here to fill the gap,” Faulkinbury said.
The clinic will open again at the high school Sunday at 6 a.m. However, it is first-come, first-serve, so it’s highly encouraged that patients in need come as early as possible to ensure they can get the help they’re seeking.
No insurance or identification is required to receive care and the clinic will serve anyone of any age, regardless of where they are from.
RAM will operate another clinic in Lexington, Virginia, in April.
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