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(Originally posted Aug.13th, updated daily,do click title to read the twitter feeds)
RAM is the Remote Medical Team that is working in LA this week providing care to those in need. They provide Medical Care (full physicals, pap smears, mammograms and basic care), and also vision and dental care for all ages. I am working on a Post on this, but am waiting to do Interviews when Event is over. If you worked it please do email me or find me at Twitter as "watergatesummer". If you read the thread on the Comment section and you can see how great the need is for working people and people with no healthcare to have Medical Care, thousands waited in the dark the first night, waiting for care...heartbreaking.
It is so odd that we have Town Hall Meetings with Disrupters yelling and angry about Many Things, including that they don't want People getting a "free ride" or "free care ". I can not help but wonder if those yelling such negative thoughtless comments would feel the same way if they were to meet any of these souls standing in the dark for hours waiting for care outside the Forum. Many had not had "care" for years, and they truly do need Someone To Care for them now. And the sad reality is that because RAM does not have enough doctors, people will be turned away. If you do live in the area, and would like to help, please do go to the Twitter page linked to the title and find out how you can assist.
(2nd photo by Latina Nurse)
Sunday Update for how many have been served ( this includes medical care, dental and vision, is more than 8000 per day, and might actually hit 10,000 at the end of the 7 days. They now have started distributing wristbands so people don't have to wait in the dark night after night. The Director has explained that the only reason they have had to limit care is because they did not have enough doctors and dentists. They also need optometrists. So if you live in the area pease do get involved. All volunteers are put to work. It is estimated that there are 3 Million UnInsured in California.IT is estimated that most of those that are coming to the LA Event are from LA County. Here are the statistics of California:As of 2008 Los Angeles had an estimated population of 4,010,000 people.Los Angeles County: 11,000,000 (2008)
Los Angeles ,Metropolitan Area 18,000,000 as of 2008 ,Los Angeles Business College.But that 100,000 people would turn up needing basic Medical Care and that people were turned away, it is a stunning statistic. We as a Country need to start looking at the Number of People UnderInsured and Cared for, as well as People getting No Healthcare for years.
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Here is more on the Event Now being reported in the UK, by the Independent, fully examining our Healthcare Crisis....
Snippet::
"The packed bleachers in the LA Forum tell a different story. The mobile clinic has been organised by the remarkable Remote Area Medical. The charity usually focuses on the rural poor, although they worked in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Now they are moving into more urban venues, this week's event in Los Angeles is believed to be the largest free healthcare operation in the country.Doctors, dentists and therapists volunteer their time, and resources to the organisation. To many US medical professionals, it offers a rare opportunity to plug into the public service ethos on which their trade was supposedly founded. "People come here who haven't seen a doctor for years. And we're able to say 'Hey, you have this, you have this, you have this'," said Dr Vincent Anthony, a kidney specialist volunteering five days of his team's time. "It's hard work, but incredibly rewarding. Healthcare needs reform, obviously. There are so many people falling through the cracks, who don't get care. That's why so many are here."
Ironically, given this week's transatlantic spat over the NHS, Remote Area Medical was founded by an Englishman: Stan Brock. The 72-year-old former public schoolboy, Taekwondo black belt, and one-time presenter of Wild Kingdom, one of America's most popular animal TV shows, left the celebrity gravy train in 1985 to, as he puts it, "make people better"."
I am still collecting data on this event, if anyone has anything to contribute please contact me....I find it troubling and disturbing that NO MSM or large publications are covering this story, thousands line in the cold , even though they are sick or have rotting teeth or need glasses for their child and NO Major US Papers Cover it ? There is Shame in admitting that.
The LA Times did a beautiful job, in the Sunday Paper explaining how RAM came to LA, great article.
Here is a Correction on how many might be served, but I am awaiting more updated numbers, Snippet from Independent article:
"In the first two days, more than 1,500 men, women and children received free treatments worth $503,000 (£304,000). Thirty dentists pulled 471 teeth; 320 people were given standard issue spectacles; 80 had mammograms; dozens more had acupuncture, or saw kidney specialists. By the time the makeshift medical centre leaves town on Tuesday, staff expect to have dispensed $2m worth of treatments to 10,000 patients."
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LA Watts Paper has a great article, giving details about the event and the care.
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This Blogger really wrote a beautiful post that is a Must Read about the event it is one of the best writeups that details the care and also has interviews.
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Excellent Blog Post about the Event, explaining it, and the number of services it provides....
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BBC has more on the RAM event, and please do read the BBC article below about our Healthcare Crisis.
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Asian Paper has more about this event,encouraging the Asian Community to be involved and to volunteer and offer translation as well.
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This article really shows the extent of the Physician shortage and it's impact on an Inner city with growing health needs, and also shows the need might be accented by this event.
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This video is from CNN, it was poorly covered by them and Annette found this on a Blog, but it is not still at their site or on the Internet. And there have been no followups that I have seen.
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This link explains about all that is offered and how to volunteer at the Forum, or to contact RAM about their work, excellent overview.
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Do watch the Dana Gould Video below on RAM...welldone
