 |
There are many ways to
show that you care.  |
Press ReleaseJanuary 16, 2007 CONTACT: AMERICARES AmeriCares Free Clinic of Danbury to Celebrate its 10th Anniversary Danbury, CT, January 16, 2007 - The AmeriCares Free Clinic of Danbury will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Thursday, January 18, honoring a decade of providing quality health care to the Greater Danbury Area's uninsured working poor. Since it opened in 1997, the AmeriCares Free Clinic of Danbury has provided health care services valued at over $7 million to more than 5,500 community residents. The clinic now schedules nearly 3,000 patient visits each year, and this year alone, saw more than 400 new patients. In recognition of this milestone, the clinic is hosting a celebration for staff, volunteers, donors and community partners at The Ives Manor Ballroom in Danbury on Thursday, January 18 at 5:30 p.m. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton will read a proclamation honoring the clinic for its decade of community service. The AmeriCares Free Clinic staff will be giving awards to the following local organizations that have made significant contributions toward supporting the clinic's work: Advanced Derm Care; Advanced Ear, Nose & Throat; Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation; Danbury Hospital; Danbury Office of Physician Services; Danbury Eye Physicians & Surgeons; and Danbury Radiological Associates. "More than 10 years ago, when the idea of opening this clinic was just a dream, people told us that it couldn't be done, that we would never get medical volunteers to donate their services," says Karen Gottlieb, executive director of the AmeriCares Free Clinics. "This community-based clinic is a testament to the work of many medical and non-medical volunteers who are all dedicated to taking care of their neighbors -- working people in the community who simply can't afford health insurance." The AmeriCares Free Clinic offers general adult medical services as well as specialty clinics for patients with multiple chronic medical conditions. These services are made possible by the generous work of more than 170 volunteer doctors, nurses, non-medical volunteers and others, including specialists who see patients in their private offices at no charge. Through the work of volunteers and the support of local organizations, the clinic is able to provide services to patients who cannot afford much-needed medical care because they lack health insurance. Delaying or not receiving treatment can lead to more serious illnesses and even hospitalization for conditions that could have been avoided had the patient received preventative care. AmeriCares Free Clinics has three locations in Fairfield County, serving the communities of Danbury, Norwalk and Bridgeport. For more information about the services offered by AmeriCares Free Clinics, log onto www.americaresfreeclinics.org or call 1-888-26CARES (1-888-262-2737).
|