Medical charity helping US poor

[DogPoundPup]

Source: BBC

Stan Brock is like a 21st-Century Florence Nightingale. He started a charity - Remote Area Medical (RAM) - more than 20 years ago to bring relief to those cut off from healthcare.

Originally it was to help poor tribes in the former British colony of Guyana, South America.

That is where he lived after leaving Preston, Lancashire, more than half a century ago - he still is a British citizen.

But now Stan spends most of his time bringing relief to the richest country in the world.

Some 60% of RAM's work is now carried out in the United States.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7420744.stm

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Stan Brock flys in healthcare to rural Appalachia as well as the developing world.


"Here in this country if you're poor - you don't have much of a shot"
Stan Brock
Founder, RAM



Patients travel hundreds of miles to receive treatment

[atjrpsych]

1. I wonder if he uses volunteers, does anyone know?

I work as a healthcare professional and am wondering if anyone knows more about Brock's organization and if he uses volunteers?
Thanks

[DogPoundPup]

2. Article says "all volunteer"

From article: Volunteer nurses, doctors and dentists have flown in from all over the country to man the stations.

[Warpy]

3. He's been doing this for a long time

yet we never hear about it from Congressmen from those states, nor from the governors.

Democratic or Republican, those men have no shame.

They should have. The whole power structure in DC should be ashamed of this.

[fshrink]

4. Check here:

http://www.ramusa.org/learn/ramfoundation.htm
For once something that seems to be simple human solidarity without strings, religious or otherwise, attached.

[Lorien]

5. I saw a news clip about his group last year

they went to a rural Southern town, where thousands of people had started lining up to be seen at 1am. Many had fairly serious conditions that needed treatment, and RAM did what they could-still, hundreds were never let in because the need was just too great.

Shameful indeed. They spend trillions "protecting" us from "terrorists". yet thousands of Americans die every year from treatable illnesses because health care is so unaffordable here.

[madrchsod]

6. that was on tonight

he said the lack of southern rural health care is comparable to third world country`s...

[newfie11]

8. Not just southern rural health care

People without insurance all over the country could find themselves in the same boat especially if they are not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.

[area51]

7. k&r

We need to become a civilized country and switch to single-payer; it's obscene that people have to suffer and die if they can't afford medical care.