MIDLAND, Texas — Uninsured residents in need of health care now have a clinic available to them free of charge. This is all thanks to one Midland woman who had a dream.
"She was a thinker, and she was always looking at ways to improve things, and when she came up with COVID, the first thing she thought of was 'well how do the people who don’t have access, how do they get access?'" said Lee Wood, Leslie Wood's Husband. "And that’s how she thought, just how can we help somebody. She was always giving back, very giving person, and the ball started rolling from there, and here we are today."
After Leslie Wood lost her battle to COVID-19, family, friends and local doctors came together to make her dream a reality by opening Leslie's Place, a free community clinic for those in need of medical care, inside Casa de Amigos.
"I’m very proud of it," said Wood. "I hope she’s very proud of it, which I think she is. There are so many people here who made this happen, that I'm so grateful for, and stepped up either through donations or just being here. The doctors, the students, everything. It was a truly a community effort to make this happen."
They have started seeing patients, and have already noticed a positive impact.
"We’ve been seeing some patients already, and one of the things we’re hearing the most from the students is 'this is the first time I’ve been to a doctor, and these people are in their 40s and 50s,' so that’s what is really satisfying, that people who have never been to medical care now have the opportunity to have medical care and be taken care of," said Wood.
This is something Lee said he knows she would love.
"She would think this is one of the most important things we’ve ever done, and we’re taught to give back, so this is her way, and our way, and everyone else’s way of giving back to a city that’s been so good to us," said Wood. "We hope the community will use it, and benefit, and enjoy it."
Leslie's Place is a partnership with Midland Health, Texas Tech Physicians and Casa de Amigos. The free clinic is for adults located at Casa de Amigos.
Texas Tech students and doctors see patients on Tuesday and Thursday from 4-8 p.m. A pharmacy and lab will also be available at the clinic to serve the patients for their primary care needs.