OLBH, local church join to benefit Cuban clinics

OLBH, local church join to benefit Cuban clinics
By TIM PRESTON - The Independent

ASHLAND — Tons of medical supplies and equipment from a local hospital
that would otherwise be recycled or disposed of will instead go to
clinics and health care providers in other nations thanks to the efforts
of a group of volunteers from Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital and
Wildwood First Church of God.

"A member of our congregation talked to Pastor Bob (Hunt) about a
possible partnership with Caring Partners," said Jennifer Moore, senior
vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at
OLBH. "He felt it was important and talked to Diana Williams (OLBH
director of health and community services). He knew of her conviction to
help, so we integrated her into our 'Green Team.' She partnered with
Pastor Bob and they started an education staff to work within our
community and abroad.

"It has been a very blessed ministry," she added. "It meets OLBH's
mission and Christian values."

Williams said the timing of the proposal was also outstanding and
coincided with the OLBH corporate program for "green initiatives."
Storage containers with lids were supplied to collect unused, but still
practical, medical supplies from each of the hospital's departments.

"It has been a housewide effort and has even been successful off-campus
with our home health agency," Wiliams said.

The altar at Wildwood First Church of God has more than a half-dozen
wheelchairs along with numerous crutches, walkers, boxes of bandages,
surgical accessories, a therapeutic whirlpool and surgical drapes among
other items. Hunt said church volunteers have already signed up to load
the 9,000 pounds of medical goods into a truck after Sunday's sermon.

The equipment, which includes durable goods such as crutches,
wheelchairs and shower supplies, will be transported to Middletown,
Ohio, for further distribution to people working in Third World
countries. The load also contains "thousands and thousands and thousands
of dollars worth of surgical supplies," which have surpassed dates for use.

"At a highly regulated hospital we can't use any item which has past its
shelf life, even though there is nothing wrong with it," Wiliams said.

Hunt said similar medical equipment is being collected by members of
churches throughout the Cincinnati, Dayton area. The supplies will be
shipped to remote clinics in places like Ecuador and Cuba, where
patients are likely to walk for two days just to get a chance of seeing
a doctor or health care worker.

Glancing around at the piles of medical equipment on the church altar,
the pastor theorized much of the recently collected items will be
shipped to Cuba, and possibly Thailand, Ecuador and Guatemala. The
supplies will be distributed by Caring Partners International.

The international relief effort also provides people with medical
training, as well as other volunteers to help with patient comfort or
pharmacy needs, to places where people desperately need assistance.

OLBH Foundation Vice President/Chief Development Officer Chuck Charles
said he considers the chance to work with the program "a privilege."

"It's been a blessing to be in an organization that encompasses Jesus
Christ and healing power," Charles said. "I think it helps work miracles
and I've seen it happen."

Daily Independent (Ashland, KY) - OLBH, local church join to benefit
Cuban clinics (5 September 2009)
http://www.dailyindependent.com/local/local_story_248001033.html