Dr. Vandan Patel describes the need he sees for foot care among people experiencing homelessness in downtown Baltimore as "an out of sight, out of mind thing."
To address that need, Patel and Dr. Rebecca Cerrato, both part of the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, take part in an annual foot care clinic hosted by Helping Up Mission. The nonprofit was founded in 1885 to serve the most poor and vulnerable residents of Baltimore. It provides shelter, hot meals, and counseling to those struggling with substance abuse and unstable housing.
Patel and Cerrato were part of a team of orthopedic surgeons, orthopedic fellows, and medical assistants from the institute who donated their time and skills for the clinic in late November. Together they served 80 clients of Helping Up Mission over three hours, offering foot care and consultation as well as free socks and shoes.
Patel believes events such as the clinic display the values and principles of Catholic health care. "It encompasses the mission we have here at Mercy," he explained. "It's another way we can reach out to our community. Historically, when this hospital was founded, it was an inner-city community hospital serving our inner-city population, and it's kind of a faith-based, service-based hospital."
"It's such a rewarding feeling," Cerrato said of her annual participation in this clinic. "Thinking of others, particularly those that are without, should always be on our minds, whether it's the holidays or not."
The most commonly seen needs at the foot care clinic are nail trimming, callus filing, treatment for aches and pains, and athlete's foot and fungus. Many clients do not have access to skincare products or clean, dry clothes. When symptoms progress, they are also without easy access to health care services or adequate insurance coverage. "It's kind of an out of sight, out of mind thing," Patel said.
Every resident at Helping Up Mission has a story. Patel recalled a client from years past, a mother whose nails had been neglected due to lack of access to care. This made standing or walking painful, which affected her ability to work and care for her children. Giving her a simple nail trim provided immediate pain relief and improved her quality of life.
If needs arise that are beyond the scope of the foot care clinic, Mercy offers additional care. People are directed to Mercy Medical Center, where X-rays can be taken and labs can be drawn to drill down on a diagnosis. "At Mercy, we do have a proportion of patients we serve free of charge out of the community aspect of it," Patel explained.
For Cerrato, spending a day donating her skillset to those in need truly symbolizes Catholic charity. "Mercy Medical Center as a hospital has always been so supportive of us," she added.