I just read the Editor's Memo in the September 2003 issue of The Nurse Practitioner. Perhaps I did it backwards, but I was God-driven to become an NP so I could start a free clinic. I became an RN with an ADN in 1990 then, one class at a time, continued to get my BSN. I still felt that wasn't enough, so I continued on with my MSN in the FNP track. After 2 years, I was able to create the foundation of a free clinic in our community.

Healing Hands Health Center was developed to assist less fortunate people with acute care issues by providing them with quality health care and medications at no cost. If we are unable to provide the medications, we will find an inexpensive generic form of the medication for them to purchase. We also promote healthy living and are starting an information area in our facility that will have a monthly topic such as breast cancer awareness, heart health, and weight loss.

As an NP, I am excited about assisting the less fortunate with community health problems so we can grow our society into a more productive, caring, less violent place to live. We provide general physicals as well as for school and sports. We will talk with patients about their health care questions when they feel they can't get answers from their health care provider because of time constraints imposed in daily practice. We are currently able to run our facility from donations of money, goods, and medications. I have 25 faithful volunteers, and we are open the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month. I have a paying job as well working with geriatric patients in long-term care.

I also believe that NPs can play a vital role as change agents. We have such caring hearts!

Thanks for your wonderful outlook on sowing the talents God has given us to reap the benefits of community awareness, growth, and brotherly love.

Lynne Bolduc, ARNP-BC