Retired doctors, nurses still here to heal
Volunteer clinic is a lifeline for the needy in Pensacola
PENSACOLA, Fla. – John Pallin played a little tailback, a little quarterback, a little defense and a little this and that on the University of Michigan football team in the 1950s. But he blew out his knee during his sophomore year, ending any gridiron dreams. “Football was my life,” said Pallin, 83. The injury might have broken him emotionally.
“The best thing that ever happened to me,” he said without a hint of regret. Why’s that?
“Because I wouldn’t be here if it didn’t.”
Here is Our Lady of Angels St. Joseph Medical Clinic in downtown Pensacola, where he’s “Dr. John Pallin,” a retired ear, nose and throat specialist who is still using his medical knowledge to help the poor, the needy and the uninsured.
He’s just one of a cadre of retired doctors, nurses and administrators who still practice medicine, helping those who can afford it least. His hearing is horrible. He admits his memory is a little shaky on some things, but “not the ear, nose and throat stuff.”
But don’t doubt his ability, his fellow physicians said.
“That’s right in his wheelhouse,” said David Conkle, 77, the clinic’s medical director and a retired heart surgeon. “All these doctors are extremely talented and just have so much experience.”
Conkle didn’t even look up from his paperwork as he talked about the clinic and the all-volunteer staff. He has been darting in and out of a conference room at the small clinic that opened in 2002 behind St. Joseph Catholic Church.
The clinic — which has received $100,000 grants from Impact Pensacola in recognition of its success and need in the community — sees about 5,000 pa- tients a year, at no cost to the patient.
“These are some good people here,” said Benjamin Stacks, 53, who had a heart attack a few years ago but could not longer afford his medication or regular doctors visits. “I was having to just take low-dose aspirin because I couldn’t get the medication I need. But I found out about his place and, man, I don’t know what I’d do if they weren’t here.”
That’s the idea behind the clinic, which was started by women of St. Joseph’s along with its pastor. Many of the patients are unemployed and without health insurance.
“I truly believe this clinic is a blessing to the community, especially in the fact that everyone here is a volunteer,” said clinic administrator Billy Brown, 72, a retired school district employee. He said the clinic has about 80 volunteers: “We don’t have a payroll.”
Brown also kept his head down on his work as he talked. He was coordinating patient records requests.
Though the church helps support the clinic, especially with Gospel and Gumbo fundraisers every other year, the clinic became its own non-profit organization in 2006. The clinic building is owned by the church and is leased to the clinic for $1 a year.
Adelaida Torres retired from her internal medicine practice three years ago. Does she miss it?
She let out a big sigh.
“Oh, of course I do,” Torres said. “I miss my patients, I really do. But I do this because I still can do it, and I still want to be able to care for patients who need help. I love doing this. ... You see families in desperate need sometimes. So you want to do all you can.”