The YOU MATTER Movement
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YOUR STORY - LIBRARY FIVE

Sybille - "To Be Cared For"

Story brought to you in partnership with our friends at Mercy’s MSU Care Clinic

Photo by Randy Bacon

I had no hope. I didn’t think anyone cared but it turns out they do. My diabetes was out of control but I worked and worked and finally got it under control. I found this wonderful clinic and I finally got the help I needed. It's been three years. I love everybody I’ve met here. There is not one person that I wouldn’t see because they are all good people. I wound up in the hospital for a month back and forth and I was treated awful. I never want to go through that again. I believe we’re supposed to treat all people alike. None of us are that different. It’s a big deal to love and care about the community.

When I go to the clinic I can laugh and enjoy that time. I don’t even feel like I am going to a doctor's office. That’s the difference. Positivity extends to other parts of your life and yeah, it's given me some life. I was a pretty sick woman, but I am getting over it. It's taken a while but they are taking care of me. And when they have students here, (because it’s a teaching clinic) it’s awesome because I like to goof off, so I get them laughing and they can’t yell at me. Ha! Like I said, I've gotten all of my care and all of my medicine and it’s been wonderful to be cared for this way. The only thing that I am afraid of is when I hit 65 I’ll have to stop coming. I don’t want to leave the people that know me so well, you know? When you get to be this age, (into your sixties) you get scared because you don’t know what's coming. I never thought I would be sixty something years old. My husband is 68. Dang we are getting old.

“For many in our community, routine doctor visits and prescription medications are far too expensive to access. Every day, people are forced to choose between food and medication or delay treatment for health issues until they are life threatening due to an inability to pay. MSU and Mercy partnered together to break the cycle of poor health and offer hope for the uninsured in our community. The only clinic of its kind in Missouri, the MSU Care Clinic offers uninsured patients top-quality primary care and prescription medications completely free of charge. We know every story—every person—has tremendous value. That is why at MSU Care, we are proud to give compassionate care and exceptional service at no charge to those in the greatest need.”

As an ongoing nonprofit movement, the ability for us to change the world through people and their stories is determined by the love and support of compassionate people, like you. The photography, films, website, written stories, exhibitions, community events and all other aspects of 8 Billion Ones are made possible by the generous financial support of the "ones", like you. Please consider a tax-deductible gift today to help us continue sharing important, life-changing stories of people - just like you.

Mandy VelaComment