At Shepherd, our goal is to help our families live in healthcare rather than in sick care. Over the last 40 years, we’ve had many programs to help bridge the gap between our neighbors’ access to health care and preventive education and resources to help them stay healthy.

In the mid-2000s, a group of pharmacists and doctors sought to help Shepherd families gain greater access to healthcare. Instead of families going to the emergency room every time they had a cold, they could come to Shepherd at no cost to receive care for all family members. Shepherd Community has always been a beacon of compassion—a sanctuary where needs are not only met but embraced. One of those needs was met through the medical clinic that was available every Saturday, for a few hours in the morning. The Saturday Health Clinic was about more than just treatments and check-ups. It was a place where everyone felt seen and supported, where everyone was welcomed without question, and where smiles were more common than prescriptions.

Amanda Riley, BSN, RN, who now works as Sepsis Clinical Quality Improvement Coordinator at Eskenazi Health, was one of those incredible volunteers who served our neighbors so faithfully at the Saturday Health Clinic. When reflecting on her time at the Shepherd Saturday Health Clinic, Amanda recalled:

We had one patient who visited regularly who was diagnosed with cancer. We were able to support him with navigating some of the healthcare challenges, clarifying additional concerns, and going over when to take medications and scheduling follow-up visits. We even met in the patient’s home to provide him and his wife with extra support and time needed to go over his medical diagnosis and needs. This is just one small example of the care that was given as part of the medical clinic.

Instrumental through all of that was Shepherd staff member Amy Wallace, who kept the needs of the Clinic a priority and did more follow-ups with patients than can be counted. Her love for Jesus and all people clearly radiated from the time and attention she dedicated to the patients that came through the clinic doors. It was an honor to get to know those who came week in and week out, hear their stories, and become a small part of them.

For over 10 years, the Saturday Health Clinic served our families with a full-service pharmacy, trusted doctors, and nurses, providing sick care, screenings, and connecting them to trusted doctors for follow-up care. Even though the clinic is no longer, the compassion and care still echo in the lives that were touched.