This Saturday, Oct. 10, 2014, the
North Charleston Dream Center, an affiliate of Seacoast
Church, hosted the first ever Hope for Healing Walk to raise
awareness and funds for the Dream Center Clinic which offers full
medical, dental, and surgical services to the community completely
free.
Hope for Healing Walk Walkers |
The Hope for Healing Walk was a
1.5 mile walk around Park Circle and was
followed by games, activities, food, and entertainment at North Charleston High School. The walk was held to raise awareness for
the Dream Center Clinic which provides free medical services
to the community. Over 200 doctors volunteer at the clinic, and it
is funded 100 percent by donations and sponsors.
T-shirt (Front) |
T-shirt (Back) |
The Hope for Healing Walk was also an
awesome fundraiser for the Dream Center Clinic by selling t-shirts
and other small gifts. In fact, the walk met 92 percent of its
donation goal before the event even started. “This event is a
tangible effort to love your neighbor as yourself,” said Noah, a
longtime volunteer for the North Charleston Dream Center and the
Dream Center Clinic.
Noah, Dream Center Volunteer (right) |
Noah told me a story about a woman and
her son who donated medical supplies to the Dream Center Clinic,
unaware of the center's capabilities and free services. Upon the
discovery that the clinic offered free medical care, the woman's son
got a check up as he had a pain in his chest. Turns out, the son had
stage 4 lung cancer, and if it were not for the Dream Center Clinic
he probably would not have been diagnosed as he had no health
insurance. The son is currently under treatment and doing very well.
The Hope for Healing Walk gave people
the opportunity to get involved with the community and be a part of a
charitable cause. “This is my first ever charity walk, and I am
really excited to be a part of it,” said Grace Tsai, a registered
nurse at MUSC. She plans on volunteering at the Dream Center Clinic
as often as she can.
Grace Tsai, R.N. at MUSC |
There were a lot of people at the
event, including some of the doctors that volunteer at the Dream
Center Clinic. “We love volunteering at this clinic, we love
everything it stands for, and we cannot wait to see how much this
event will benefit it,” said Michelle Rodriguez, a resident at MUSC
and long time volunteer for the Dream Center Clinic.
Volunteer Doctors for the Dream Center Clinic |
The North Charleston Dream Center hopes
to host another Hope for Healing Walk next year, but in the mean
time, check out their weekly events, like Adopt a Block, here.
Also, a Dream Center Clinic is currently under construction in West
Ashley near the Seacoast West Campus. Look for it to be up and
running in the next couple of months!
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