Fall 2017

When Maricela first came toBethesda about eight years ago, itwas to establish a medical home forbasic health care. A hard-workinghousekeeper, who has had the sameclients for more than a decade, shehad no health insurance and justneeded a check up and a referral fora mammogram. But that first visitbegan a long relationship that touchedMaricela’s family in extraordinary andlife-changing ways.

Some years later, Maricela’s son, Jose,who had long wanted to serve hiscountry as a member of the armedservices, fulfilled his dream by enlisting.His very first physical exam turned hislife around: the poor vision in one ofhis eyes was more serious than hehad thought. He was losing his vision

completely. Maricella recalls: “WhenJose called to tell me the bad news, Isaid, Don’t worry. Jesus has other goodthings in store for you. Just come home.”Maricella made him an appointmentat Bethesda.

After several visits with specialists,all arranged by Bethesda, the newswas serious. Jose needed a corneatransplant. Bethesda sent him andMaricela to Houston for an appointmentwith the Houston Eye Foundation. Aftereight months on the waiting list, a donorwas found and the transplant completedat no cost. Now, Jose has 20/20 visionin that eye, and his gratitude is immense.“Bethesda Health Clinic literally gaveme a future. With my eyesight restored,I am back on my feet and working. Oneday I hope to give back to Bethesda.”

“This is a place that helps,” saysMaricela. “It doesn’t matter who youare, what your race is, where you comefrom, they will help you. And if theycan’t help you themselves, they willfind someone who can. Look whatthey did for my family!”

Maricela became a US citizen five yearsago, and her journey to improving herlife continues.

Although she is a high schoolgraduate in her native Mexico, she

Continued on page 2.

JUST COMEHOME“

”“No tengo las palabras”, said Maricela Hurtado. “I don’thave the words… to say what Bethesda Health Clinic hasmeant to me and my family.”

Continued from front cover.

Next year, in 2018, Bethesda Health Clinic begins its fifteenth year of ministry. In preparationfor that milestone, we began a conversation with Dr. John English, Bethesda’s CEO, whohas been involved with the clinic since before its inception.

Looking back on these first fifteen years of Bethesda’s ministry, what have beenthe “constants”?Amazingly, the demand for our services has been a constant and has grown every year, afact that cements the reason we are here. People need our care, even with all the changesin healthcare in the US. The other constant is the support of our mission that we have beengiven from day one – dedicated volunteers, unwavering and incredible financial support fromour donors, the buy-in from the medical community who have supported us in countlessways, the strong support from our board of directors who have stood by all our decisions.

What has changed?The health care landscape now changes almost daily, especially in the era of the AffordableCare Act. The complexity of the clinic’s operations has grown, especially after we added dentalservices in 2005, creating a demand that we haven’t been able to keep up with ever since!

Is there anything you would do differently?We thought we were opening a healthcare clinic, but now we recognize that most of ourpatients have complicated lives, just as we do, and there are many factors, physical, social,emotional and mental, that impact their health. We have to address all of those things if weare to improve their physical health, and we probably should have started our social workservices earlier to help address those issues – but hey! We were medical people who startedthe clinic, and we thought we were dealing with medical issues! The thrift stores have beensuch a success. Wish we had started those earlier and gotten that income stream in the flowearlier than we did.

What do you know now that you didn’t know then?The idea of “volunteer nurses and physicians” is harder to operationalize than we appreciatedin the beginning. They are busy professionals and in their spare time, they want to do otherthings than share their professional gifts. Our patients have complicated lives – and comingfor medical appointments is hard to schedule. We know now that we can’t just be an 8 to 5Monday through Friday clinic. To accommodate the need for expanded hours, we offer someevening and Saturday clinic hours numerous times during the year.

A NOTEFROM JOHNReflections on Bethesda’s first fifteen years...And some thoughts about the future...

Because of You...

hopes to receive her GED inthe US educational system.She has completed hercertificate as a CertifiedMedical Assistant. Her goal?“To help Bethesda HealthClinic,” Maricela saysemphatically. “I had a veryhigh score on the CertifiedMedical Assistant test, and Iknow why. I took the classeswith my heart. And my heartis to help Bethesda.”

“I want to help Bethesdabecause they helped me.And they helped my son. Ihave done all my paperworkto be a volunteer. I can’thelp with money, but I canhelp with my time, on theweekends when I’m notworking. It’s my goal. It’s mydream is to help Bethesda.”

There are many ways to giveto Bethesda’s mission, manyways to support the workof the clinic. Every gift isimportant, and every giftmatters. But there aregifts from the heart, likeMaricela’s, that touch usdeeply and which we hopewill inspire others to helpBethesda continue toserve our hard-working,much-deserving friendsand neighbors.

BETHESDAALLIANCECELEBRATESBIRTHDAYBASH

...We are Here to Help

What can a group of creative,energetic, committed ladies do?What can they NOT do?!

In 2010, the ladies of the BethesdaAlliance had an idea for a fundraiser forthe clinic. A birthday party! 2010 was theseventh anniversary of the clinic, and theAlliance ladies decided that a party wasin order to celebrate the occasion.Celebrate and fundraise they did at thefirst Bethesda Birthday Bash, and theAlliance has been helping Bethesdacelebrate and fundraise ever since.

The 2017 Bethesda Birthday Bash,just like all its predecessors, was aphenomenal success. Throughsponsorships of the event and throughfunds raised by the live (and lively!)auction of birthday cakes decorated by“celebrity” cake decorators, “The Bash”has raised more than a million dollarsfor Bethesda since its inception.

It’s not all fun and games. Planningand organizing an event of this scale isa year-long project for the 180 ladies ofthe Alliance, who are already down in

the details of the 2018 Birthday Bash. Theyare also hard at work on other projectsthey do to help the clinic, particularly theirservice at Hangers of Hope, Bethesda’sthriving thrift store.

This year’s “Bash” chairs, Sherri Soulesand Gina Butler reflected on Bethesda,“The Bash,” and what it means to serveour community. “I support Bethesdabecause of the core values the staff andvolunteers espouse” said Gina, “and I likebeing part of the Alliance because we areall working toward the same goal byusing our different talents and strengths.I want to honor God in all I do, and Ibelieve Bethesda is a worthy way tospend my time and efforts.” Sherri feelsthe same way about service to hercommunity. “The money the Allianceraises does so much to help Bethesdaand the people we serve. This commu-nity opened its arms to me in so manyways, and I love that I have the opportunityto give back.” Bethesda Health Clinicis grateful to all the members of theBethesda Alliance for all they do tofurther the mission of the clinic. Wecan’t wait to see what they do next!

RANDALL V. CHILDRESS, CFP, AAMSGENERAL PARTNER/REGIONAL LEADEREDWARD JONES, BETHESDA HEALTHCLINIC BOARD MEMBER

If you are over 70 1/2 youmust start taking the requiredminimum distribution fromyour IRA, income which willbe taxable to you. If you arein the enviable position of notneeding this income, youhave another option whichcould benefit you as well asBethesda Health Clinic.

You can give all or part of thatdistribution from your IRAto Bethesda Health Clinic,tax-free, and have it count asall or part of your requiredminimum distribution forthe year.

This could have positive taxbenefits for some seniors. Itkeeps the money out of youradjusted gross income, andcould make less of yourSocial Security benefits taxable.

Consult with your professionaladvisor to see if this optioncould benefit you, and whatsteps you need to take to doit properly. If you are planningthis unique way to make a gift,please let us know so that wecan acknowledge you.

Charitable Givingand Your IRA

2017 Birthday Bash Chairs from left:Sherri Soules and Gina Butler

Birthday Bash 201 7

David and Cathy Krafve Matthew and Rachel DeVaney Judy and John Soules

Karen and Michael Tidwell Paul and Teresa Owen, Grace English, Peaches Owen

Sunni Boren, David NIchols, Nathan Atkinson Mark Whatley, Audrey Stinson, Sherri Whatley

Taylor and OliviaHeaton, Karen and

Charles Heaton

LaVerne Gollob,Derrith Bondurant,Jennifer Gaston

Matt Magill, Bill and Lynda Evans, Megan Magill, TJC Phi-Theta Kappa Volunteer Stephanie and Clint Carter, Sherri Soules

Birthday Bash 201 7

Jeff andDebraJohnston

Betty Ann Smith,Eleanor Stringer,

Darla Bennett,Julie Nichols

Regina and Charles Moss

Matt Jones, John English, Sherry Jones

Samantha, Jason, Cindy and Bill Ellman, Logan Stone and Stephanie Osborn

Jacob and Rachel Putnam, Jeff and Kimberly Abeldt

DIA MADRESOn a pretty day in May, every other year, Bethesda Health Clinic gatherscommunity partners to focus on the needs of women. The festive atmosphereof brightly colored booths, free refreshments and giveaways delights the morethan 500 women who participate. But underneath the fun, some seriouswork gets done: The Dia de las Madres (Mother’s Day) event allows womento focus on their health.

Affectionately called “Dia” for short, the Dia de las Madres event began whensome leaders in the Hispanic community realized that many Hispanic womenhad little access to medical and community services. Traditionally focused onthe needs of their family, and putting others’ needs first, many rarely focusedon their own health.

At the “Dia,” free medical screenings, such as pap smears, mammograms,glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol tests, and HIV screening areavailable. A wealth of information about health and wellness, nutrition,exercise, early detection and preventative measures, and communityresources is provided.

Though Bethesda organizes the event, it is a true collaborative communityevent, with labs and services donated by Pathology Associates of Tyler, theKomen Foundation, East Texas Medical Center, CHRISTUS Trinity MotherFrances Health System, UT Health Northeast and the volunteer efforts ofnumerous doctors and nurses.

In addition, many non-profit agencies are available to provide informationabout community resources and the services they offer. These organizationsinclude: Literacy Council of Tyler, St. Paul’s Children’s Foundation, East TexasCrisis Center, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Ross Breast Center, NETHealth WIC, Susan G. Komen East Central Texas, Children’s Defense Fund,Family Circle of Care, TJC, UT Health Northeast, The Mentoring Alliance,Special Health Resources, Wellness Pointe, Amerigroup, and Texas Children’sHealth Plan.

Many thanks go to the generous sponsors of Dia de las Madres, includingJohn Merrill State Farm Insurance, Prosperity Bank, Super 1 Foods, IglesiaBautista Colonial Hills, Michael Munn State Farm Insurance, Linda RoweState Farm Insurance, Don Juan Mexican Restaurant, Law Office of JeremyCoe, Williams Paint & Sandblasting, Expert Auto Electric and Mega 99.3.

DE LAS

409 W. FergusonTyler, TX 75702

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Non-Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDTyler, Texas

Permit No. 14

To learn more aboutthese events orBethesda Health Clinic,contact us at:409 W. FergusonTyler, TX 75702903.596.8353www.bethesdaclinic.org

Board of DirectorsRich KnarrPresidentSue SaxenmeyerSecretaryRamsey StarksTreasurer

Michelle BrookshireRandall ChildressBarry JonesDavid KrafveFritter McNallyJohn MerrillAmber OwenRebecca SandersH. Don Smith, M.D.Tim R. Smith, D.D.S.Larry StokesCharles Stone, D.D.S.Todd TuttJoseph Woelkers

Todd Raabe, M.D.Board Emeritus

Rev. Pat MalloryBoard Emeritus

John English, M.D.CEO / Medical Director

Advisory CouncilKen DanceChair

Maxey Abernathy, M.D.Harold BeairdJerry CaddyTracy CrawfordSam Houston, M.D.Thomas Lowery, M.D.John MintonMac MoseleyDavid Nichols, D.D.S.Ron Pinkenburg, M.D.John SoulesWilliam Starling, M.D.Pat Thomas, M.D.Rev. Pike Wisner

Publication BoardManaging EditorDiane Thomason

Graphic DesignAutry Design

PhotographyDon BristowDonna Cummings PhotographyTyler Today

On October 27, “The Little Shop of Horrors” opened at the Tyler Civic Theatre. The show was directed by Megan Magill,and Matt Magill played Orin, the demented dentist. The couple’s non-profit organization, B3 Ministries, partnered withBethesda to raise funds for Bethesda’s dental program. Seven local dentists made donations to Bethesda and eachhad a cameo appearance as the patient in the show. Special thanks to Matt and Megan Magill, Tyler Civic Theatre,and Drs. Britt Ruby, Lynette Ogletree, Nathan Hughes, Aimee Massey, Jarrod Leisch, Gerald Gray and Travis Markle.

Matt Magill andNathan Hughes