Page 108 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2021

A SPRING OF story by Lynn Lofton
photo by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster
The Bethesda Free Clinic is fulfilling a need by serving
the working poor. It began in 2011 when the newly-formed organization took over an existing medical clinic in D’Iberville with retired physician Francis Selman as the director. The clinic moved to Ocean Springs in 2012 where it continues the vision of being ‘a medical facility of compassionate care promoting healthy lifestyles.’
“Dr. Selman knew how desperately a free clinic was needed,” says Director Mary Buffington. “It is completely free and there’s no means testing.”
Receiving no government funding, Bethesda is funded through the community, some grants and fundraisers. “The community has been very generous,” Buffington said, “but things are tight right now.”
The clinic provides basic medical and dental service through volunteer healthcare workers. “We can hold you up till you can get in to see a doctor,” Buffington said. “Through our referral, patients can get lab work done at a deep discount. To my knowledge, we’re the only free clinic that does dental x-rays and extractions.”
In support of the clinic’s vision statement, she says Bethesda has an amazing education program. “For instance, a lot of people don’t understand how to feel better with diabetes, and they might not understand how their bad eating habits are affecting them. It’s
the same thing with high blood pressure. We had a walking group before the pandemic and hope to start it again.”
Before COVID the clinic was seeing 250 to 300 patients each week. After a cutback in hours and volunteer staff, they’re now ramping back up with appointments, walk-ins and telemedicine.
Buffington and the staff of five have a great need for volunteers across the board. “We always need them,” she said. “We need medical volunteers along with people to file, answer the phone and many other duties.”
They also have a wish list of office supplies such as desktop, laptop and tablet computers, color printer/copier/scanner; a land-line, multi-unit phone set; paper shredder; bottled water; postage stamps; copy paper; file folders; and empty ink cartridges. Medical supplies needed include glucose meters and testing strips and automatic blood pressure cuffs. General supplies wanted
are all paper products; small size water dispenser cups; room deodorizers; and disinfecting cleaner and wipes.
6912 N. Washington Ave. Ocean Springs 228.818.9191 www.bfhcd.com
108 | June 2021
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