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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Free Clinic of Central Virginia has a few paid employees, but it functions primarily because of volunteers. Truitte\u2019s husband comes in as a cardiologist, and they have many other sub-specialists as well: a neurologist, an OB-GYN, an endocrinologist, and an orthopedic surgeon, are just a few examples. Truitte said the patients who come in often have struggled to afford insurance, let alone healthcare. But the volunteer\u2019s hard work means no one gets sub-par care. Everyone who comes in gets a complete check-up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think they\u2019re getting some of the best healthcare around, for sure,\u201d Truitte said. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of like you\u2019re getting the whole person. They come in with a toothache, but there could be some major other health issues going on, so it\u2019s really just providing total care.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Free Clinic is not the only place Truitte volunteers. She is also involved with Kids\u2019 Haven: A Center for Grieving Children.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She serves on the executive board and is a facilitator for grief support groups for children at family group nights and at schools in the area. She is also part of the Medical Reserve Corps Truitte said volunteering often benefits her more than the people she helps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe work you\u2019re doing is so rewarding \u2013 not just me \u2013 I mean everybody that\u2019s helping people that need help,\u201d Truitte said. \u201cThat\u2019s just what fuels me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Part of that benefit comes from hearing the stories patients tell and the struggles they have gotten through to make it so far. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe people are so inspiring,\u201d Truitte said. \u201cProviding services for somebody like that is just to know what they have been through in their lives. It\u2019s an opportunity for me.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Connecting with people is a talent of Truitte\u2019s, according to Jen Webb, CEO of the Free Clinic of Central Virginia. During the pandemic, the two worked together to provide vaccines for shut-ins, and Webb said she would never forget watching Truitte\u2019s love for human beings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEveryone that works with her [trusts] her,\u201d Webb said. \u201cShe takes the time to get to know you \u2013 who you are and where you come from.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since Truitte began working with the clinic again, the options available for patients have grown tremendously. Specialty care is available more often, and more student volunteers from the University of Lynchburg and Liberty University also come in. Webb said Truitte has been a part of that growth by volunteering weekly at the clinic. She was recently elected to the board, taking her involvement to a new level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe has improved the free clinic by bringing in new volunteers, talking about us in the community, making sure that staff and patients have everything they need, and just being passionate about what we do,\u201d Webb said. \u201cI think the drive to help other people [is] just part of her DNA. It comes so naturally, and you can feel the joy that she feels from doing the work.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n The praise goes both ways, of course. Truitte said all of the paid employees at the free clinic are superstars to her. The work the clinic has been doing since it began in 1987 is truly remarkable, and it continues to provide high-quality care for the underserved in the area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI just hope that people know what an asset the free clinic is to our community,\u201d Truitte said. \u201cIt\u2019s just unbelievable what they do.\u201d GN <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" WHEN FAMILIES come home for the holidays, they should be both happy and healthy. There are members of every community who avoid healthcare visits due to climbing expenses. But thanks to local volunteers, healthcare doesn\u2019t have to be a scary and daunting dollar sign. It can be an opportunity to be happy and healthy for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":20473,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/lynchburg-va\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2023\/11\/4-1024x683.png\")
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