A 26-year-old woman reportedly could have gone blind without the services provided this weekend by the free visual and dental clinic at the Greene County Health Department.
Nancy Louise Holland of Greeneville said she signed up for the clinic to get eye glasses, but in the process was diagnosed with infection in both of her eyes and cataracts that would have led to blindness if they had gone undetected.
Holland is one of 232 people who were served by the free visual and dental clinic on Saturday and Sunday at the Health Department.
The clinic, which has been held for the past several years, is made possible by funds from the Blanche W. Grady Community Service Award Endowment, a fund within the Laughlin Health Care Foundation. It is in partnership with local eye-care specialists, the Health Department and Remote Area Medical (RAM) of Knoxville.
The two-day event provides visual and dental care for those who otherwise could not afford it.
During a brief interview on Saturday morning, Holland spoke about the discovery of her condition. “I got scared,” she said about her reaction to the diagnosis.
But she added, “I’m glad, so I can get it fixed before it gets any worse.”
Holland said she has been using prescription eye drops, which has improved vision in one eye, but she was told that eventually she will need cataract surgery. While Holland’s case is rare, it reflects the serious effects of foregoing proper health care, participating health professionals said.
That is a major problem in regard to dental and visual care, according to Stan Brock, volunteer director of operations for RAM, because there are no state or federal programs to assist adults in these two areas of health-care needs.
Also, John French, volunteer manager of the dental program for RAM, noted that many of the people who attend the clinics are working for minimum wage and cannot afford to pay for dental or visual care.
$44,120 in Cost Savings
Those who attended the clinic this weekend were spared a total of $44,120 in health care costs, according to Betty Weemes, director of the Laughlin Health Care Foundation.
“The numbers reflect the success of the clinic,” Weemes said. “We are so grateful for the support of the dental and visual professionals, for the host of willing volunteers, for the participating not-for-profit organizations and for the local businesses who provided complimentary food and motel accommodations.”
Sixty-three volunteers helped with the weekend event, Weemes said. One hundred percent of the local eye-care professionals, including four ophthalmologists and 11 optometrists, participated in the visual portion of clinic, and nine local dentists and two dentists from RAM supported the dental portion of the clinic, Weemes said.
Eighty-five people sought visual care worth an estimated $12,750, and 147 people sought dental care worth an estimated $31,370. They were assisted before or during the clinic, or will be assisted afterwards, she said.
Also, those who attended the clinic could take home large food packages worth an estimated $100, which also contained toothbrushes and toothpaste. The food packages were provided by Second Harvest Food Bank in Gray.
Dr. Brad Emde, who chaired the visual clinic commented, “I think it’s an honor that we can help the community in any way we can.”
Benefactors Provide Funding
The Blanche W. Grady Community Service Award Endowment’s benefactors are Scott M. Niswonger, the local business leader and philanthropist, and his mother, Sharon Niswonger.
In 1997, the first recipient of the award, Adelle Haynes, now deceased, was an active volunteer in local hospice care. So, the endowments have traditionally been used to provide heath-care treatment or education in the community.
After the 1998 award was presented, Weemes approached Jackie Neas, R.N., nursing supervisor at the Health Department, to pinpoint the greatest medical needs in the community.
Weemes said Neas suggested adult dental and visual care.
