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A Life-Saving Diagnosis

By Carolyn Landes, GMC Communications Manager

Dr. Catherine Crosland, Georgetown Ministry Center (GMC)’s Consultant Physician, used a short needle to prick the finger of Thomas,* a GMC guest she had encountered during a street outreach session earlier that week. After drawing his blood and registering a blood sugar reading of 353 milligrams per deciliter, the diagnosis was clear.  

“Has anyone ever told you that you have diabetes before?”

Thomas was silent, slouching forward in a chair inside GMC’s administrative offices.

“If there’s ever a sugar over 200, that’s a definition of diabetes. So, it looks like you do have diabetes. So, it would be great if we could get you to the clinic and get you onto some medications so we can get the sugar down. Would you be willing to do that?”

Thomas’ shoulders remained hunched, a simple “yes” floating up from beneath his black, wool cap.

“Do you know what diabetes is?” Dr. Crosland inquired.

“I know it’s a disease where they advise you not to eat sugar,” Thomas offered.

“That’s right.” Dr. Crosland went on to explain the disease in greater detail to him before advising, “If you could make an effort between now and Friday to just drink water, no sweetened beverages, we can get a much better read on your sugar.”

Thomas straightened his slumped posture for the first time and peered up from behind thick, black bifocals. “Somehow it sounds like a joyless prospect if all I can drink is water.”

Dr. Crosland smiled. “You do what you need to between now and Friday, but come to the appointment either way.”

As it happened, Thomas had difficulty making his way to the clinic that Friday, despite Dr. Crosland’s careful instructions. He asked multiple people for help on his journey using the city’s public transportation system, as he doesn’t own a car, but no one was familiar with the clinic or could tell him where it was located. In the end, he missed his appointment — and the opportunity for potentially life-saving treatment to a chronic disease.

Stories like Thomas’ are not uncommon amongst the vulnerable population that GMC serves. Many of our guests have not been seen by a doctor for many years, leaving all kinds of illnesses undiagnosed and untreated — some of them life-threatening. And it’s often logistical matters that most of us take for granted — things like a navigation system and a car to make arriving at an appointment on time easier — that act as barriers to receiving help.

Fortunately, in Thomas’ case, Dr. Crosland was able to reconnect with him and he made it to an appointment a couple of weeks later where he received additional treatment for his diabetes.

Thomas is an example of someone that did not frequent GMC’s day center and did not have regular contact with the medical and psychiatric services provided there. Men and women like Thomas are what make GMC’s Street Outreach Program so essential to reaching the most vulnerable members of our society — often those who are in greatest need.

GMC’s Street Outreach Program and other programs are made possible by the generous support of our donors, supporters and volunteers — we thank you! Click here to learn more about GMC’s Street Outreach Program and click here to support our program with a monetary donation.

*”Thomas’” name has been changed to protect his privacy.

Dr. Catherine Crosland has been a Consulting Physician at Georgetown Ministry Center since 2009. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, she serves as the Medical Director for Homeless Outreach Services at Unity Health Care.

Today marks the beginning of Lent, a period of religious observance held by many Christian faiths in preparation for Easter. For many, Lent is a season of self-reflection, often punctuated by prayer, almsgiving and fasting. No matter your religious affiliation or spiritual beliefs, though, we can all benefit from charity through almsgiving and fasting. Almsgiving, or giving to others as an act of virtue, sets us free from greed and helps us to regard our neighbor as our brother and sister. When we give alms, we share in God’s providential care for each of his children. Fasting allows us to better understand what those without food readily available endure and hopefully compels us to come to their aid.

Georgetown Ministry Center has long relied on the generosity of our community to support our mission to end homelessness, one person at a time; indeed, our organization was founded 30 years ago by a group of multi-faith congregations, united by a common desire to care for our neighbors in need! We encourage everyone to seize the opportunity today to pause and inwardly reflect; how can you make a difference for our neighbors in need?

It’s our favorite kind of news to share! This past week, Georgetown Ministry Center (GMC) guest, Jonathan Goldblatt, received keys to his new apartment!  Jonathan had experienced homelessness for more than two years, spending the last two winter seasons as a guest in GMC’s Winter Shelter. He is a parishioner at Christ Church Georgetown and his parish community was very supportive of him throughout the housing process. Jonathan’s case was a collaboration between GMC, Miriam’s Kitchen and Life Stride, Inc. The GMC staff and community of supporters couldn’t be happier for Jonathan and we wish him the best moving forward! 

Walking in Another’s Shoes

By Carolyn Landes, GMC Communications Manager

How much thought do you put into the shoes you put on your feet each morning? Maybe it’s a choice of fashion or a decision based upon the day’s weather or activities.

What if you only had one pair of shoes, though? And what if those shoes were falling apart? Imagine going about your day, less concerned with if you’d made the right choice for style or activity and more concerned with simply keeping those shoes on your feet. It’s a reality to which most of us can’t relate. For an individual experiencing homelessness, though, shoes are so much more than a fashion statement — they’re a means of survival.

On a chilly afternoon this past December, I accompanied GMC Executive Director, Gunther Stern, and GMC Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr. John Tarim, on street outreach (a program where GMC staff check on and visit with individuals experiencing homelessness outside of the Center, directly on the streets). We’d been walking for about an hour and  as we made our way down a street in West End, Gunther called out a greeting to an approaching figure — a large man, well over 6 feet tall and of a stocky build, walking with a cane. To protect his privacy, we’ll call him Ed.

It was clear from Ed’s warm reception of Gunther that he was a familiar acquaintance. Despite his physically imposing frame, Ed was mild-mannered, polite and soft-spoken. Gunther and Dr. Tarim asked the usual outreach questions, inquiring about Ed’s health and wellbeing and asking if he needed any of the supplies we were carrying with us — items like granola bars, hand warmers, hand sanitizer and socks.

I happened to glance down toward Ed’s feet at the same moment Gunther asked, “How are your shoes holding up?” It was a gentle but pointed inquiry. The answer was obvious to all of us without Ed saying anything. His black, leather shoes were well beyond the point of “holding up” — they were literally falling apart. Only his left shoe had a shoelace. Threads were coming out of the seams on both soles and there were large gaping cracks in the leather on both shoes. The hole on the top of his left shoe was so large that I wondered how it was staying on his foot, let alone providing any protection from the cold.

Ed demurred the question at first but Gunther calmly persisted. “We’ll get you some shoes. What size are you?”

“Thirteen,” Ed allowed.

“Thirteen? Are you sure?”

Ed nodded. And then added softly, “Only if there’s extra.”

At that moment, I had to turn away. A large lump had formed suddenly in my throat and hot tears were stinging the corners of my eyes. Although I’d been working at GMC for 9 months by this time and had witnessed guests experiencing homelessness in difficult situations before, something about the image of Ed’s tattered shoes struck me. I felt a mix of compassion for this gentle soul — how long had he been wearing these shoes that were disintegrating on his feet? — and anger that I wasn’t sure where to direct. How were we — as a society, as fellow human beings — allowing this? How many pairs of shoes do most of us own? “Only if there’s extra.”

Our interaction with Ed was just one of many we had that afternoon. Walking for just a few hours, we were met with individual after individual — both men and women, of varying ages, backgrounds and dispositions — each with their own story. They all recognized Gunther and knew immediately why he and Dr. Tarim were there — to offer help, even if only on that day in the form of a plastic baggie filled with toiletries, snacks and socks.

The image of Ed and his broken shoes stayed with me and a couple of weeks after our encounter I inquired with Gunther about him. “Whatever happened with the guy we saw on outreach that needed the shoes?”

“Oh! He got them.”

I blinked. “He got them?”

Gunther nodded. “Yeah, I went home that night and told Alexis to pick some up in his size. She was already out shopping for the kids.”

I smiled incredulously. “And did you already get them to him?”

“I went by Miriam’s the next day.”

I don’t know how Gunther knew Ed would be at Miriam’s Kitchen, a neighboring non-profit that aids those experiencing homelessness, the next day.  It was one of the many small enigmas I was perplexed by working with someone who had been doing their job for nearly 30 years — I guess, like in most jobs, some things are learned with experience.

I do know that my experience on street outreach that day cemented in my mind as an absolute surety the dire need our community has for organizations like GMC. It is our responsibility to recognize the needs of our neighbors and to help those who cannot help themselves — not to ask, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” GMC’s street outreach program ensures the most vulnerable members of our society — those who may not visit the Center, itself — receive medical care, basic necessities and a lifeline of support and other services, ready and waiting when they are ready to receive them. 

Are you interested in learning more about GMC’s street outreach program? You can read more about the program here and support our efforts with a monetary donation here.