After nearly two months of providing disaster relief to survivors of Hurricane Ike in Texas, VSP’s mobile clinic saw its final patient in Galveston, Texas on October 28th. Serving Houston and Galveston, the mobile clinic and the 12 doctors who worked aboard it saw 1,198 patients in total. The crew on the ground has informed us that while some portions of the island remain badly damaged, improvements are beginning to take place. However, a massive recovery and rebuilding effort will be necessary before anything in Galveston can return to some sort of normal. The American Red Cross and other charitable organizations have left Galveston as well, and now government agencies remain to continue helping those still in need.
Although our mobile clinic has left the area, VSP is continuing to provide assistance. We are working with charitable organizations in Galveston to provide vouchers for eyecare and eyewear as well as lists of VSP provider locations to those in need. Many of our doctors still face the challenge of fixing their damaged homes and practices, or in some instances, rebuilding their entire practice from the ground up. We will continue to monitor the needs of our doctors, and all of those affected by Hurricane Ike.
I would like to thank the selfless and tireless efforts of our doctors in the devastated areas, as well as VSP employees who worked with our dedicated mobile clinics team in Texas. It is my hope that our involvement in the hurricane relief efforts has helped provide some level comfort and reprieve to those affected by this storm.
- Rob
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