The Clemson University Staff Senate is the latest member of the MARY’S House team. On Dec. 9, members of the staff presented Rick with a truck full of items for the county’s only domestic violence shelter. Above, Ashley Cummings helps Clark unload the food, toys, clothes and other basic items.
A fundraiser now underway at the Samaritan Health Clinic of Pickens County aims to allow staff and volunteer physicians to continue to provide free services and medications to regular patients and new patients alike.
“We’re seeing large increases in the number of patients coming into see us,” said Regina Reece, Clinic Director. “It’s grown unbelievably over the last few months. We’re sure it’s only going to get worse.”
Samaritan Health Clinic is a faith-based ministry that serves low-income residents of Pickens County who have no insurance.
“Patients come in and interviewed to see what their needs are,” Reece said.
The clinic has a pharmacy on-site and is able to offer patient life-sustaining medication such as insulin for diabetic and hypertensive medication for patients with heart disease, Reece said.
“We can see the patient here and prescribe the medication,” she said. “If it’s not available here, we have different avenues we can go through to get it for them.”
Local physicians, hospitals and medical staff help Samaritan Health Clinic provide its services.
“We have so much support from our physicians who donate their time and their services,” Reece said. “We get supplies donated, our local hospitals offer some free testing for our patients.
“Our two hospitals in the county allow us to send patients for X-rays and screening at no cost to the clinic or to the patient,” she continued. “Specialists in the area allow us to send patients to them for screenings at no cost to the patient, or at a lower cost.”
The clinic serves a Best Chance provider and a Susan G. Komen site, offering breast cancer screenings to its patients.
A nurse practitioner comes to Samaritan Health Clinic once a week for gynecological servies, Reece said.
Dental hygiene students from Greenville Tech offer teeth cleanings at the clinic once a quarter, Reece said.
A neurology clinic is offered once every two months.
The clinic is also supported by the United Way of Pickens County, local churches and grants from Pickens County, the Palmetto Health Alliance and other organizations, Reece said.
The clinic holds two fundraisers every year, “Walk with the Docs,” held every spring, and the Christmas fundraiser, she said.
The rising number of patients makes generating additional funds this year extremely important, Reece said.
“We’re trying to generate funds so we can take on the load without having to cut back,” she said. “That’s our goal, to generate enough funds to serve the people coming in the door.”
Samaritan Health Clinic is open Mondays from 8:30 to noon, then 2 p.m. – 5 p.m, and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Those wishing to be seen should attend an interview session, which are held from Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon.
Prospective patients should bring a picture ID, a Social Security card, proof of residency and proof of household income.
Donations can be mailed to Samaritan Health Clinic of Pickens County, P.O. Box 1452, Pickens, SC 29671.
Donations are tax-deductible and can be made in honor of or in memory of an individual or family.
“We have Christmas cards that will mail out to the individual or the family to let them know a donation has been made in their name,” Reece said.
For more information on the Samaritan Health Clinic, call 855-0853.
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