“These are the times in which genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life or the repose of a pacific station that great characters are formed. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. Great necessities call out great virtues. When a mind is raised and animated by scenes that engage the heart, then those qualities which would otherwise lay dormant wake into life and form the character of the hero and the statesman.” – Abigail Adams
These words were written to young John Quincy Adams by his mother as she was sending him back to France with his father. He did not want to venture off as he had already embarked on a North Atlantic crossing the winter before, and it proved to be miserable.
Lately, we are all hearing a lot of “Woe is us” regarding the politics and future of our nation, the re-emergence of COVID, and recurrences of diseases that we thought were close to eradication (polio, measles, etc.). Perhaps now is a good time to re-explore our history and celebrate the courage and innovation that brought us to today. This includes our history here at Volunteers in Medicine Clinic.
Next year is our 30th anniversary, and we should celebrate it right up to our 40th anniversary! As with a strong marriage, once we survived enough tough years, they seemed to get better every year.
The history of VIM Clinic has a remarkable beginning and many around today deserve the credit that got us through those early years. The odds were not in VIM Clinic’s favor. Only through creativity, sheer determination, and innovation did Volunteers in Medicine Clinic emerge. The special volunteer license has allowed us to recruit and retain talent and the liability protection has allowed providers to practice medicine with confidence and ingenuity.
The Mission and Vision have not changed since its inception. Every time we read the Vision statement, we are challenged to touch others’ lives with love with the reassurance that if we do, we can “Heal Ourselves.”
I do not know of any organization that has the word Love in its Mission and Vision statement. This was a bold gesture, but it also gives us a clue as to why Volunteers in Medicine has endured.
The next few years were ones of expansion and persistence. The national growth of the VIM model was at times distracting to those working on the Island but the Model needed to be tested. And tested it was! The VIM model has been franchised in nearly 100 other locations and is repeatedly successful. The identity, which emerged, was that of a Free Clinic run by Volunteer and Community support, Leveraging Love, keeping strict fiscal discipline, and constantly innovating change.
Many of these franchised clinics have brought better ideas to the model and the VIM Clinic structure has matured as the go-to model for developing any new free clinic in America. It is also being applied towards the expansion of free clinics that are open 2-3 afternoons a week and trying to meet the needs of their communities 5-7 days a week.
Without a doubt, there have been some tough times. Philanthropy and economies can ebb and flow, but 30 years have proven the model to have some resilience.
Our recent innovation in food sustainability has reminded us of what we are capable of doing as we strive to understand the health and wellness needs of our patients and their families. We are asking our patients what they need to improve their experience at the Clinic, and they would appreciate a more efficient process to see the providers and allow them to predict their getting back to work. Many of them are seeking more accommodating hours in the earlier morning or late afternoon.
I am excited to see what the future holds for VIM Clinic but I always want to recognize the past which brought us to today. Thank you to all those involved over the past 29 years and Thank you to all who will guide us forward for the next 30 years.
“These are the times in which a genius would wish to live.” – Abigail Adams
