A few weeks ago I watched a piece on 60 Minutes about an organization called RAM (Remote Area Medical). I was genuinely moved by this EXTRAORDINARY group of people, founded by Stan Brock.
Stan started RAM in 1992 to go into third world countries to set up emergency medical clinics where the needs were the greatest. They have done over 500 expeditions.
Now, RAM is “throwing America a life-line”. In fact, 60% of their work is now done in the US.
There are 47,000,000 people in the United States who have no health insurance, and millions more who are under-insured. RAM sets up weekend outreach programs to help those that cannot afford medical treatment. During one of the expeditions held in Knoxville TN, some 276 doctors, optometrists, and dentists from 11 different states set up their stations in an exhibit hall, and worked the entire weekend for free. All equipment is donated, everyone is a volunteer, and all care is at no charge.
The people who came as patients that weekend (mostly the working poor; most with families) started lining up in the middle of the night, to make sure they would be among those that got seen. They were given numbers to make sure they stayed in order. They slept in their cars, in the cold, and waited.
About 6 a.m. Stan Brock started calling for the first of the numbers to be let in.
That weekend in Knoxville, the docs saw 920 patients, and other than the general medicine that took place, they made 500 pairs of eyeglasses, performed 90 mammograms, extracted 1066 bad teeth, and did 567 fillings.
Stan’s lament? They had to turn away about 400 people when the weekend came to a close.
How does RAM do it? They rely on the generosity of the American people. Plus, they really know how to stretch a buck. Last year RAM’s operating costs were a mere $250,000 and they treated 17,000 patients. Brock (the founder and leader) is devoted - TOTALLY devoted to RAM. He has no family, draws no salary, and has no home. He is currently living in an abandoned school, leased to RAM by the City of Knoxville for $1.00 a year.
PLEASE GUYS!!! This is such a wonderful organization, that if you have a few minutes to spare, please to go this website and watch the 60 Minutes piece on them. I promise it will make you feel good for at least a little while. And maybe the next time you have a couple of bucks to donate to a really worthy cause, you might think of them. I know I will.
Thanks!!!
