SPOKANE, Wash. — Imagine having the flu or a miserable winter cold, but
being unable to afford over-the-counter medications to help alleviate the
symptoms. More than 65,000 people in the Spokane area face this and other
health care challenges every day.
A promotion offered by the Intercollegiate Center for Nursing
Education/Washington State University College of Nursing, the Community
Health Association of Spokane and Tidyman’s employee-owned stores called
“Health is Everything,” hundreds of local uninsured and low-income residents
will receive many of the basic medicinal and health supplies they need to make
it through the rest of the winter.
Starting Monday, Feb. 21, Tidyman’s, in partnership with the ICNE/CHAS
Clinic located at the YWCA in downtown Spokane, will be collecting medicinal
and health items at all area Tidyman’s stores through March 31. “Health is
Everything” posters, supply displays and donation bins will be featured in all
eight area Tidyman’s stores.
The donated items will be distributed to patients visiting the ICNE/CHAS
Clinic over the next several months.
“Our customers are very generous when the community asks for their help,”
said Patty Kilcup, Tidyman’s director of consumer and governmental affairs.
“By making these items part of their shopping list and dropping the supplies
into the colorful ‘Health is Everything’ bins, our customers are helping to
provide necessary items to those families in the community who cannot afford
to buy basic health supplies.”
The ICNE/CHAS Clinic provides a reliable, caring health clinic system where
uninsured residents can turn for their ongoing health care needs. This
community-based, nurse-managed clinic serves families and children who are
without adequate health care, are indigent or living in poverty. The clinic has
treated more than 2,000 children and their families since opening in September
1998, but could still use more help.
Extensive community support has made the clinic an integral and sustainable
option for residents. Tidyman’s has stepped up to the plate more than once.
Earlier this year, the grocery store chain donated more than $2,000 worth of
children’s and women’s supplies to the clinic. This time they’ve invited their
customers to help.
Medications can significantly lessen the overall impact of a virus on the family.
“When someone is sick with a typical winter bug, it’s that much harder to work
or care for children,” said Margaret Bruya, ICNE/WSU College of nursing
faculty and nurse practitioner at the clinic.
“It’s the inexpensive, over-the-counter medications that help patients battle
the most common and persistent winter ailments,” Bruya said. “But when you
can’t even afford the generic brand, you’re more likely to spread the virus to
other family members or have it turn into something more serious.”
Nursing faculty and students from the ICNE/WSU College of Nursing will be in
the Spokane Tidyman’s stores from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, March 4, to
encourage customers to contribute needed clinic supplies and offer
complimentary blood pressure screening.
The ICNE/WSU College of Nursing is based in Spokane, with multiple sites
throughout Washington state. The college, a progressive leader in the field of
nursing education and research, is the nation’s first, oldest and most
comprehensive nursing education consortium. The college is currently
educating 525 graduate and undergraduate students for professional nursing
careers.
Founded in 1968, the college offers baccalaureate, graduate and professional
development course work to nursing students enrolled through its four
consortium partners: Eastern Washington University, Gonzaga University,
Washington State University and Whitworth College.
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