Richard grew up in a neighborhood that was “a pocket of drugs, guns, shootings, violence . . . whatever.” By the time he was 27, he was suffering from addiction and struggling to keep custody of his two young boys. "I had a long list of problems that hit the floor. I knew I would crack under the pressure. I had no idea therapy existed for a guy like me. I was hurting in my head. I walked in blind to Gardner. They gave me a hand to ... Read More
From JAIL to a JOB: Wayne’s Story
"Jail is a terrible place," says Wayne, as the sadness in his eyes reveals the awful details from his past rushing to his mind as he speaks those words. To say that Wayne (48) has had a rough life is an understatement. His biological father vanished from his life when he was very young and he was raised by his mother and step father: a man who introduced him to drugs when he was only 12 years old. At around the same time, the family moved from ... Read More
National Diabetes Month
Since November is recognized as National Diabetes Month, individuals should understand and assess the nature and implications of diabetes, a serious yet controllable disease that affects millions of lives worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, nearly 30 million Americans are living with Diabetes and 86 million with pre-diabetes a health condition which can lead to type 2 diabetes. Without major changes, ... Read More
Gardner: Past, Present and Future
At the beginning of the year, Gardner completed the development of the 2016-2018 Organizational Strategic Plan. While this plan is vital for our future, it's also important to remember how we got started and all the transitions that we went through. In fact, looking back at the history of our organization is something that I found most helpful in my role as CEO. I believe that it's only in understanding our origins that we can make sense of ... Read More
Celebrating National Health Center Week August 7th -13th, 2016
I was recently asked to name one quality that I believe differentiates community health centers from other health care providers. To be quite honest, it was very hard to narrow it down to only one quality. Many thoughts came to mind...the convenience they offer by providing many services under one roof, the affordability of care, the quality of service, the fact that they hire staff from the community to serve their own community, the ... Read More
Disease Prevention Starts with Sound Nutrition/Una Buena Nutrición Es Fundamental Para Prevenir Enfermedades
By: Avni Madhani, Volunteer Earlier this month, I received the opportunity to volunteer at a Gardner Family Health Network Clinic. My daily experiences at the clinic have consisted of friendly and enjoyable interactions with not only the patients but also the hardworking and receptive staff. Throughout my time at Gardner, I have learned a great deal about nutrition and its associated challenges. After numerous patient studies, I have begun ... Read More
Gardner Health Services: 2016-2018 Strategic Initiative
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Are We Making A Difference?
The beginning of a new year is a time to look back and reflect on our accomplishments, challenges and the improvements we want to make. This is the time when we, as a nonprofit organization, ask ourselves the most critical question: Are we making a difference? This year, the answer came to us in a simple but meaningful thank you note sent by one of our patients: Don Saito. Don shared his story with us: "About three months ago, I started ... Read More
It’s Not Too Late to Vaccinate
Earlier this month, the county’s Public Health Department informed us that the first flu death of the 2015-2016 influenza virus in the state of California was recorded in Santa Clara County. As a health care professional, this news saddens me deeply, both because a life was lost and because I suspect that this drastic outcome could most likely have been prevented. The deceased person was an adult under 65 years of age who had chronic ... Read More
Community Health Centers and Valley Medical Center Rise to the Challenge!
As the Daughters of Charity hospitals consider their newest suitor, Blue Mountain Capital, we must not lose sight of the critical function healthcare partnerships play in creating and sustaining a healthcare safety net for underserved populations. A good example is the alliance between Santa Clara County’s Valley Medical Center (VMC) and our non-profit Community Health Centers (CHCs), who share a philosophy and commitment to improve the health ... Read More