Tanya Buck is a stay-at-home single mother of three. She doesn't have insurance. Her family relies on Medicaid. When her ten-year-old son suffered a ruptured ear drum, she brought him to Perrysburg Heights Community Center where Dr. Richard Paat, a Maumee physician, runs a free medical clinic.
Dr. Richard Paat, his team of nurses and UT medical students volunteer their services once a week to everyone with or without insurance. He began this free medical clinic two months ago after returning from a medical mission trip helping earthquake victims in Haiti.
"What we've learned is you don't have to travel half-way around the world to provide medical care to the needy. You can just go right down the street."
Dr. Paat says he saw the need in the community. He hears stories about people who lost their jobs and their insurance, or they simply can't meet their co-pays.
"They've stopped doing their medications. We've seen patients here with significant hypertension, diabetes and various infections. This is purely a stop-gap measure."
As for Buck and her son, if it weren't for the free medical clinic, "I probably would've had to go to the ER, which can be a wait and a pain."
This free medical clinic is held every Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. It's at the Perrysburg Heights Community Center on Jefferson Street. We asked the volunteers why they do this after working full-time themselves; they say they love what they do and truly want to help people.
