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 The following letter was written by a staff person at the request of a client who was helped by our Gender Emergency Medication Service (GEMS).
Dear Mrs. Gendler:
On June 19, I helped a gentleman through the GEMS program that was suffering from COPD, a chronic lung condition. Literally, he could barely breathe while he was in my office.
He was a 59-year-old gentleman, who had worked all his life, did not like to ask for help, and was embarrassed to be here. He cried several times while telling me his story, which only exacerbated his condition.
He was in need of two prescriptions, one of which was an inhaler. It truly was a desperate situation. The thought crossed my mind whether to call Walgreen’s, the pharmacy that collaborates with us, or an ambulance.
The next day he called to thank us for our assistance. He explained to me that after the appointment he barely made it to his truck that was parked in our back parking lot. When he arrived at Walgreen’s, the pharmacist told him it would be about a half hour until his prescriptions were ready. The gentleman stated that he needed the drug now, and I’m sure the pharmacist could tell that he really did need immediate attention, and found the appropriate inhaler ASAP.
The gentleman was able to breathe easier immediately after using the inhaler. He walked around outside the Walgreen’s building just to enjoy breathing the fresh air.
When he called that day, he informed me that he had just mowed his yard, which would have been impossible the previous day.
He was in a very jovial and talkative mood. He repeatedly stated what a good thing we had done for him and how grateful he was that some wonderful ‘man’ donated the funds to make this program possible. I did not correct him, but I promised that I would let the benefactor know of his gratitude.
Most people that are assisted by this program are very grateful; however, rarely do they call after the fact to thank me.
During the discussion on his grateful day, I emphasized the necessity in finding resources to maintain his medication, that he must not allow his physical situation to deteriorate to such an extreme again. “Yes, Mam”, was his reply.
Most days that I do this job, I know that I am providing a valuable service to the community and to people that are in need. Today I feel that we actually saved a life. Most of the clients are so concerned with their immediate needs that they don’t often stop to consider that there is a most generous person behind this very special program.
So on this day that your program really made a difference in one particular life, know that through your kindness many hundreds of lives are helped, maybe even saved each year. In his behalf, and all the other lives you have touched, Thank You for your generosity.
Sincerely,
Jayne M. Stickman
Heartland Family Service
P.S. Since his visit, I have sent him the forms for the Needy Med program and other information regarding resources to further assist him.
(Note: Please understand that our client’s stories are deeply personal. The names and photos have been changed to protect their identity.)
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