SAN DIEGO–Jose Gomez has struggled with pain from a hernia for five years, leaving him unable to perform work duties on a regular basis. His hernia will be repaired this Saturday, enabling him to return to work full time as an auto mechanic through the Project Access Saturday Day Surgery Day.
On Saturday, Jose and 36 other San Diegans suffering with pain, injury, and other debilitating conditions will receive life-changing medical treatment for free, thanks to Project Access Saturday Surgery Day, a twice-annual event provided by the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation and Kaiser Permanente. All surgeries will take place at Kaiser Permanente Garfield Specialty Center in San Diego.
About 120 physicians and staff will volunteer their time and expertise to provide medical care including hernia repairs, gallbladder removals, and vascular surgeries for 16 patients. Additionally, 21 patients will receive diagnostic gastrointestinal procedures to detect and prevent colorectal cancer. The day will also feature a volunteer kick-off breakfast at 6:30 a.m. and include remarks by leaders from Kaiser Permanente, San Diego County Medical Society Foundation, and Yuk Chan, a former patient whose life was saved at a prior Project Access Saturday Surgery Day. Chan’s colorectal cancer was caught at an early stage, and cured through surgery and treatment at Kaiser Permanente.
Saturday will mark the 14 th Project Access Saturday Surgery Day at Kaiser Permanente since Project Access’ inception by the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation in December 2009. Kaiser Permanente provides pro bono care twice each year to low-income and uninsured patients referred through Project Access. To date, Kaiser Permanente has contributed over $2.6 million in donated services to Project Access San Diego.
Like Jose Gomez, Lorenzo Lopez has suffered with pain from unattended hernias for 10 years. The pain has restricted his work as a painter, impacting his ability to financially support his family of three young children. Lopez is looking forward to getting back to work full time after surgery and caring for his wife and children. Although the family is employed, they do not have health insurance or the resources to pay for surgery.
“Project Access San Diego has been enhancing the lives of uninsured San Diegans since its beginnings as our flagship program in December 2008, and Kaiser Permanente has been a partner with us since the beginning,” said Barbara Mandel, executive director of the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation. “To date, more than 2,700 patients have received free specialty care, including both inpatient and outpatient surgeries and procedures provided by our physician volunteers and partner hospitals and surgery centers,” Mandel added.
According to Paul Bernstein, MD, FACS, San Diego-area medical director for Southern California Permanente Medical Group, “Our team of dedicated physicians routinely find Project Access Saturday Surgery Day one of the most rewarding programs of the year. Our goal is to do everything in our power to enhance the lives of those who are ill or injured. Saturday Surgery Day provides us with the ability to do just that – to use our talents to give back to San Diegans in need.”
To qualify for Project Access San Diego’s Saturday Surgery Day an individual must live in San Diego County, be low-income, ineligible for public health programs, and be referred by their primary care physician.
The San Diego County Medical Society Foundation (SDCMSF) was founded by the San Diego County Medical Society (SDCMS) in 2005.
The foundation was designed to address the healthcare needs of low-income San Diego County residents who are uninsured or underinsured. The foundation focuses on increasing healthcare access, improving health education and prevention, and supporting physicians and medical students to improve the quality of care in our community. Through its flagship program, Project Access San Diego, the foundation has assisted over 2,400 patients to access specialty healthcare services. Healthcare partners, including over 625 specialty medical physicians, 25 hospitals and surgery centers, and numerous imaging, laboratory and ancillary providers, have provided patients with more than $8 million in donated healthcare services.
For more information about SDCMSF visit http://www.sdcmsf.org.
