For the past three days, the fairgrounds in Wise County, Va. turned into one of the largest health care outreach efforts in the nation.
“RAM,” or Remote Area Medical, chose rural Southwest Virginia on purpose. Poverty and unemployment rates are well above state and national averages.
That means many people in the region can’t afford health care.
Before Sunday's sunrise, patients parked and packed health care tents at the county fairgrounds.
Just the sight of a novocaine injector makes most people cringe, but Greg Miles waited two days for his shot at new fillings. He lacks insurance.
"I have it available at my work, but it's expensive,” Miles said.
Dr. Terry Dickinson said Miles' story is not unique.
"More people are struggling with being employed, and wages in the jobs that they have,” Dickinson said. “We're seeing an uptick in the number of people that come to these clinics."
Patients come to the clinic for a variety of services. Thousands of them can't afford eye exams, let alone new glasses.
Mitzie Mullins is a RAM regular. She comes every year. This year's checklist: blood pressure, hearing, and a new set of specs.
"[I have] no insurance, no compensation, no nothing,” Mullins said. “I'm not eligible to get any help."
RAM operated three service areas this weekend: vision, dental, and medical.
Medical doctors delivered 4,000 treatments in the first two days – and their area is the least visited one that RAM offers.
"[The clinic] is an example of pure generosity," said Dan Bayless, a second-year nursing student.
For Bayless, and other nurses in training, the experience is unrivaled. They get to work with medical students and a unique population.
Stan Brock founded RAM to satisfy a need for service in remote parts of the world, but he envisions a day when that need doesn't exist in the first place.
He said a bad run-in with a wild horse inspired the concept. Brock was living in the Amazon at the time. Wapishana Indians told him the nearest doctor was 26 miles away – by foot.
"It is so sad, to see so many people – not just a dozen here or there – but 1,500 people here in the United States, the world's richest country, enduring so much discomfort to satisfy what is a basic need,” Brock said.
Click the play icon above to watch a video version of this report.
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