paper bag with groceries

August is Time to Renew Kroger Rewards

Use your Kroger Plus Card to benefit Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic
Use your Kroger Plus Card to benefit Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic!

If you like to go Krogering, you probably know that a Kroger reward card can save you lots of money on groceries. Did you also know that every time you use your Kroger card, Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic can also benefit?

Kroger sends out checks to many non-profits, including the Clinic, when customers have signed up to support their favorite charity. If you are already supporting us by using your Kroger card, here’s a reminder: August is the month to renew your support. Simply go on line to Kroger.com, sign in and renew your Clinic sponsorship for another year.

If don’t already do so, but would like to support us whenever you use your Kroger card, you will need to create an account at Kroger.com. It’s easy. Click on “register” and follow the steps given. You will see an alphabetical list of non-profits; scroll down to Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, click on it, and you’re done. You won’t even have to think about your donation for a year — but the Clinic will benefit whenever you buy groceries.

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Ober Gatlinburg Donates to Mountain Hope

When local folks had fun at Ober Gatlinburg earlier this summer, it was good for Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic.

The resort offered Sevier County Days to local residents and employees, who enjoyed the attraction and sampled what it had to offer while paying a discounted rate. Ober Gatlinburg and its owners, the Anders family, have generously donated the proceeds of this year’s Sevier County Days to the Clinic by presenting a check for $9,701.

“We appreciate the generosity of Ober Gatlinburg and the Anders family,” said Ashley Burnette, the Clinic’s director of fund development.  “This is a shining example of how local businesses can support us by raising funds.” Mountain Hope provides medical and dental care to people with no health insurance, many of whom work at local tourism businesses. In return, the business community has been generous with its support of the Clinic.

The Clinic charges patients much less than it costs to provide their care, and must raise the difference through grants, donations and fundraisers. “Local businesses are an important source of support for us,” Burnette said. “Not only do they raise cash for us, they also donate goods and services when appropriate. We are grateful to Ober and all our other business supporters.”

Santiago

Working at Clinic Gives New View of Community

SantiagoKaren Santiago has lived in Sevier County most of her life, but working at Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic is giving her a closer look at her home town.

“You get to know the community a lot,” she says.

Karen first came to the Clinic a few months ago, taking on a part-time position while one of the receptionists was on maternity leave. When a full-time receptionist’s position opened up recently, she took it on — she’d had on-the-job training in the part-time position.

She’s bilingual, speaking fluent English and Spanish. She was born in Mexico and moved to Sevier County when she was 5 or 6 years old. “I learned (English) pretty quickly,” she remembered. Children find it easier to learn a foreign language, and school gave her plenty of incentive.

She attended Pigeon Forge High School, with home schooling in her junior year. She had a little girl, Laylani, who is now a year and a half old. She graduated two years ago.

Karen lives with her parents and her daughter, and spends much of her spare time with Laylani. When she has time, she also likes to help her former boss at Parrot Mountain.

Another advantage of working at Mountain Hope is that Karen enjoys helping people, and her job gives her many opportunities to do that.

Close-up of a young woman using asthma inhaler in the park

Learn to Handle Asthma

asthma

Cat fur, changing weather, cigarette smoke or even running up a flight of steps can be bad for your health if you suffer from asthma.

Many things can trigger asthma, causing the airways in your lungs to become narrow and inflamed.  It pays to know your triggers, says Physician’s Assistant  Jason Brackins of Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic.

Asthma attacks can vary from mild or deadly.  Asthma may run in your family. You may be susceptible to triggers such as pollen, dust mites, furry animals, exercise, changes in temperature and weather, or even getting sick with a cold or the flu.  “That’s one of the reasons why you need to get an annual flu shot,” Jason says.

Asthma makes breathing difficult. Symptoms may include wheezing, a tight feeling in the chest and coughing, especially at night, in the early morning or during exercise.  These symptoms can range from mild to severe.

If you suspect you have asthma, your doctor may test your breathing. That test is available at Mountain Hope, Jason says.

Asthma is treated with different types of medicines: inhalers and pills primarily. Your doctor will prescribe medicine based on your symptoms. Asthma medicines work in one of two ways:

  • Quick-relief medicines stop symptoms quickly. These medicines should only be used once in a while. If you regularly need these medicines more than twice a week, tell your provider. Albuterol inhalers are an example of quick-relief treatment.
  • Long-term controller medicines control asthma and prevent future symptoms. If you have frequent symptoms or several severe episodes in a year, you might need to take these each day. Corticosteroid inhalers are an example of long-term controls.

“It is very important that you take all the medicines the provider prescribes,” Jason said. It may seem like a lot of medication, but asthma that is not treated with the right medicines can stop you leading a normal life, including working and exercising, and may even damage your lungs permanently.

Taking your medication daily can help you avoid symptoms of asthma. And of course, try to stay away from your triggers. “If you don’t know what they are, your doctor can help figure it out,” Jason said.

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Eye Exam 1

Lions offer second opportunity for eye exams and glasses for fire victims

Female optician examining senior patient's vision with phoropter

People displaced by the Sevier County wildfires at the end of November have another opportunity for a free eye exam and free eyeglasses, thanks to Smoky Mountain Lions Charities.  Because of the extraordinary amount of interest during a similar event held January 28, 2017 at the Boyd’s Bear facility in Pigeon Forge, organizers have decided to repeat the process.  Fire victims that responded to the January clinic were the recipients of 63 eye exams and 59 pairs of glasses.

The charities’ mobile vision lab will be set up on Saturday, March 11 at First Baptist Church of Gatlinburg where fully trained eye care professionals will conduct eye tests between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. They will draw up new prescriptions and conduct thorough tests including those for glaucoma.  Eyeglasses based on the new prescriptions will be distributed about two weeks later, at times to be set up with patients on March 11.

It will take an estimated 45 minutes to an hour for patients to undergo testing and to choose new frames. No reservations are required, but would be preferred so that patients can be contacted should there be a change of venue or schedule. Please call Jim at 865-556-9091 for an appointment or more information.

First Baptist Church of Gatlinburg is located at 111 Oglewood Lane in Gatlinburg, TN off of Highway 321.

“We’re extremely happy that Smoky Mountain Lions Charities is choosing to provide this service yet again to victims of Sevier County’s fires,” said Mary Vance, executive director of Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, which provides medical and dental care to Sevier County residents who lack health insurance.