Could a Lingering Cough Be So Much More?

For three weeks, Maria* couldn’t shake a dry, persistent cough. She had relied on discounted care at a local hospital to make healthcare affordable, but when that assistance ended, seeing a doctor was suddenly out of reach.

Then a neighbor told her about Neighborhood Christian Clinic, where uninsured and underserved patients in Phoenix can receive affordable healthcare rooted in compassion and faith. Maria came to the Clinic one morning and waited two to three hours, hoping she would be seen.

Restoring Health Starts With Seeing the Whole Person

When Dr. Andrea first met Maria, she was quiet and reserved. During her examination, Dr. Andrea discovered that Maria was wheezing, likely from underlying asthma aggravated by a recent viral illness, and provided an inhaler to address the immediate problem that had brought her through our doors.

But at Neighborhood Christian Clinic, care does not stop with the symptom.

Dr. Andrea also asked about preventive screenings Maria had missed and helped her begin getting her healthcare back on track. As they talked, the conversation moved beyond her cough to her work, her home life and her spiritual life.

Gradually, Maria began to open up.

Whole Person Care Makes Room for the Heart

As their conversation continued, Dr. Andrea gently asked Maria if she felt close to God right now. Maria said yes, and the two prayed together.

Afterward, Maria was moved to tears as she shared what a blessing the visit had been. She said she had never experienced care like this from a doctor before.

Maria came looking for help with a lingering cough, but she left knowing she had been seen, heard and cared for as a whole person.

“I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
— 3 John 1:2

What Whole Person Care Looks Like

At Neighborhood Christian Clinic, Whole Person care means looking beyond a diagnosis to understand the person behind the symptoms. It includes addressing immediate medical needs while also helping patients stay on track with preventive care and making space for the circumstances affecting their health, their families and their faith.

For Maria, that meant receiving an inhaler to help her breathe and getting her preventive care back on track. It also meant having a doctor who took time to listen, pray with her and care for more than the reason she wrote on the intake form.

This kind of Christian healthcare reflects the Clinic’s mission to care for the body, mind and spirit with compassion and dignity.

Restoring Health Becomes Restoring Lives

A neighbor helped Maria find the Clinic. Caring neighbors like you help make sure the Clinic is here when someone like Maria needs it.

Because of the generosity of donors, the service of volunteers and the dedication of Christian healthcare professionals, people who might otherwise struggle to afford care have a place to turn.

For Maria, what began as a visit for a lingering cough became an experience she would not soon forget. She received the medical care she needed while also experiencing compassion, prayer and the love of Christ.

That is Whole Person care, and it is at the heart of Restoring Health. Restoring Lives.

Thank you for being a caring neighbor to Maria and to so many others who come through our doors seeking healthcare, hope and healing.

*Maria’s name has been changed to protect her privacy.