Bessie Gillard, lost her health insurance 20 years ago when she was laid off from her job at FedEx. She found excellent health care at Church Health. Alongside her journey, she also became a pastor at the Refreshing Springs Christian Center Church of the Nazarene.
Pastor Gillard has been a Church Health patient since 2011. In January, she visited Church Health for a routine checkup while battling a bad cold. During her visit, the Church Health doctor noticed Pastor Gillard’s mammogram was overdue. Recognizing the potential risks, she was promptly referred for a mammogram at Methodist Hospital South which led to a discovery of an abnormality.
Dr. Sheila Thomas stepped in to manage Pastor Gillard’s breast health sending her for more tests where doctors detected two nodules in her left breast. She involved Patricia Newell, whose job is to assist Church Health patients in accessing benefits through the Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program (TBCSP.) The TBCSP provides low-income, uninsured women in Shelby County with access to recommended breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services. Newell coordinated with volunteering subspecialty physicians at Baptist Hospital to schedule her surgery. Additionally, she worked with West Clinic to provide radiation treatments and connected Pastor Gillard with a skilled plastic surgeon for breast reconstruction.
Reflecting on her experience, Pastor Gillard expressed her gratitude, saying, “Church Health placed me with the right doctors, the right breast surgeon, the right plastic surgeon, my mammograms, everything. There were some tests I had never heard of, like three-dimensional MRIs, but everything I needed was within my reach because of Church Health. I’m incredibly thankful.
“After I had the surgery at Baptist Hospital, I had to go to radiation, and my radiologist said, ‘Can I pray for you?’ In my 63 years of life, I’ve never had a doctor ask can he pray for me. So that let me know I was in the right place and in good hands, because everybody in my circle was there. Everything I needed, it was there for me.”
She added, “Dr. Thomas’s thoroughness in urging me to undergo further diagnostic tests truly saved my life. Countless others at Church Health have been instrumental in my journey. Patricia even helped me get health insurance and the opportunity to go to any doctor She said, ‘Girl, that insurance is for anything you need!’ But I chose to stay at Church Health. I could have gone and gotten another doctor, but I continue to use Church Health and see the specialists that I need to follow up on my health.”
Pastor Gillard firmly believes in the importance of proactive healthcare. She thinks it’s crucial to prioritize exercise and a proper diet. “That’s another aspect I appreciate about Church Health —they encourage us to exercise and educate us on food preparation if needed. The Bible teaches us that God provides everything we need, and for my health, everything I need is right here at Church Health.”
“After I had the surgery at Baptist Hospital, I had to go to radiation, and my radiologist said, ‘Can I pray for you?’ In my 63 years of life, I’ve never had a doctor ask can he pray for me. So that let me know I was in the right place and in good hands, because everybody in my circle was there. Everything I needed, it was there for me.”
She added, “Dr. Thomas’s thoroughness in urging me to undergo further diagnostic tests truly saved my life. Countless others at Church Health have been instrumental in my journey. Patricia even helped me get health insurance and the opportunity to go to any doctor She said, ‘Girl, that insurance is for anything you need!’ But I chose to stay at Church Health. I could have gone and gotten another doctor, but I continue to use Church Health and see the specialists that I need to follow up on my health.”
Pastor Gillard firmly believes in the importance of proactive healthcare. She thinks it’s crucial to prioritize exercise and a proper diet. “That’s another aspect I appreciate about Church Health —they encourage us to exercise and educate us on food preparation if needed. The Bible teaches us that God provides everything we need, and for my health, everything I need is right here at Church Health.”
As Memphians’ need for preventative care grows, we can meet our neighbors where they are. Healing starts here: Donate | Church Health
