Image via Adventist Health Tulare Facebook page

Hundreds of patients in Tulare were able to receive much-needed services at their recently reopened hospital this weekend, with the help of a “small but mighty” team of volunteers.

The two-day Life Hope Centers health clinic, which was held at Adventist Health Tulare, had more than 350 patients given free services, such as vision checks, dental treatments and basic screenings. The patients were seen in a large tent in the hospital’s west parking lot. Inside was a full dental clinic with six treatment chairs and two exam chairs, three vision screening stations and eight blood pressure checkpoints for patients with little access to health care. Other free screenings included body compositions and carotid artery ultrasounds.

More than 225 Adventist Health employees and community supporters wore bright yellow volunteer T-shirts and performed basic screenings, helped register patients, escorted them to various stations, provided demonstrations and passed out water. One such volunteer was Ken Pierson, a dentist for Happy Bear Surgery Center in Tulare.

“There’s a lot of need out there and just being able to help and encourage and support this is very important to me,” he said.

The Life Hope Centers clinics are a humanitarian service of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Central California. Events such as this are done in partnership with local community organizations and in Tulare that include the Family Health Care Network, Altura Centers for Health, South Valley Vascular Associates, The Tulare Hospital Foundation and Threads of Love.