Houston, Texas, The State with the highest rate of uninsured in the nation. It's largest city where 1 out 3 are uninsured. They set up in the Reliant Convention Center that sheltered 27, 0000 evacuee's of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Dr. Oz hooked up with the National Association Of Free Clinics, with a two day set up of a vast mobile center with contained 120 examine rooms. They recruited over 700 volunteers, 200 doctors and 300 nurses. The doors were scheduled to open at 7:00 a.m., but people began arriving in the middle of the night, some travelled for hours to get there along with the locals. For 12 hours the Free health Clinic staff and volunteers where there to see anyone that walked through the doors.
"Lives were changed and lives were saved", there were people at Dr. Oz's Free Health Clinic who were suffering from anything and everything. People crying because they didn't if they were ever going to get any help. One women there had only 25% use of her heart, right down to a baby they examined and found a hole in her heart. So many doctor's, Specialists, and Clinics offering ongoing services for everyone who is Uninsured In America.
Dr. Kapur's Story
Once a child of uninsured immigrants, Dr. Kapur has dedicated his life to serving the uninsured.
The Edward Adams Story
Edward Adams who Laid off in 2008, soon lost his home and the ability to pay for healthcare. With alarming symptoms that could point to colon cancer is what brought him to the free clinic to undergo testing in the nick of time. Edward lost his job, his medical insurance, and went from owning a 3000 sq. foot home to living in a room motel, which is smaller than his master bedroom. Edward like many others that arrived at the free clinic, they are successful working Americans who lost their jobs and not afford health care.
At The Houston Free Health Clinic Dr. oz found Edward standing in line because of alarming health issues. He had blood in his stool, and an extended belly, he had lumps where he shouldn't have lumps. The free clinic can only provide base line testing, but he did receive a colonoscopy done by a very good doctor friend of Dr. Oz where Dr. oz has his practice. Edward never had a colonoscopy done while he was working he said, because like most men he just kept putting it off. Edward had 9 polyps removed and a hemorrhoid. Edward is just one of the faces that represent the uninsured of America.
Ziggy Jones' Story From The Houston Free health Clinic
Ziggy a married woman and a mother of two faced a difficult decision on this day. She had a choice of standing in line for free medical care or go to work as a volunteer of Dr. Oz's Free health Clinic. Dr. Oz confronted Ziggy while she was at work on the computer that day. Ziggy was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 26, at the same time her young daughter was diagnosed with lymphoma, and were both going through chemo at the same time. Now at the age of 31 Ziggy can not be insured because of a pre existing health condition. Dr. oz set her up with a free clinic in her area, that everything is free, no paperwork, and if you cannot afford medication they will give her the money for the medication.
Steven Cantrell's Story
Throughout the mass of people that came through the door that day Doctors and staff kept their eyes open for urgent critical cases, and one of them was Steven Cantrell. He had a massive tumour on his lip which started 3 years ago as a small blister. Today it looked like someone opened up a cigar and spread it across the whole bottom lip area. Dr. Oz and two ears, throat and nose specialists had a look at steven. He has been turned away from jobs because of this massive brown growth on his mouth. Apparently if steven would of had health insurance this could have been taken care of in now time with a doctor visit by doing a small excision to remove it, now it has grown too large, Steven is a failure of the system. If this cancer is not removed from Stevens mouth it will spread through his head and down his neck, and very life threatening. Steven will receive the care he needs through the Gateway To Care and the Free Clinic. After the show today they are preparing him for an operation to remove his lower lip to remove the muscle in there and the lining. They had found out that the cancer had moved down his neck, so they will also remove the lymph nodes of both sides of this neck. Steven Sandiford of Cancer Treatment Centers Of America and oodles of others will be working with Steven Cantrell's health from beginning to end. Today Steven Quits smoking!Victoria Rivera's Story
In Texas nearly 1 in 4 children are uninsured, and their best option for care is a free clinic. A mother of 5 children and a husband who has been out of work for five months waited in line at the clinic. Everyone was checked out, but one of the doctors who volunteered found a problem with the youngest child Analeigha. They took her to another cubicle for an echo, and very alarmed to find she had a hole in the middle of her little heart. The look of fear and anguish on Victoria's face to find out that her baby Analeigha had a whole in her heart, was very heartbreaking in itself. Dr. Oz had a Heart Specialist there to take Analeigha's case, and another Doctor there asking Victoria if she with do him the honour of allowing him to be her family physician. Disney heard Of the Victoria Rivera's Story about Analeigha, and gave the family an all expensed paid trip to Disney World.
Gloria Molina's Story
Gloria Molina is functioning at only 25% of her heart capacity and comes to clinic to find some much needed help and relief.
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