Work continues toward bringing health care clinic to Oakley - Oakland Tribune

OAKLEY -- For 25 years, Maria Juanita Fernandez has lived withdiabetes, which she said requires significant care that is difficultto afford without insurance.

'Diabetes is like cancer. It starts damaging parts of your body alittle bit at a time,' Fernandez told a standing-room-only audienceSept. 15 to discuss plans to bring a health care clinic to the city.

Three years ago, Fernandez said she had a wound on her footbecause of complications from diabetes. Because she could not affordthe treatment, she didn't immediately seek medical attention for theinjury, and had to have her toe amputated.

With no insurance, Fernandez was given a $34,000 bill for hertreatment. She was able to pay $6,000 before she had to stop workingbecause of health reasons.

Only six months later, she had another lesion on her toe thatwould not heal. This time, she went to Mexico and was charged $100for treatment. Three months ago, she had another toe amputated.

'We need a clinic here in Oakley,' she said through a translator.'Many of the people my age can't drive and can't get to otherclinics out of town. We deserve to have preventive care in thissituation.'

Stories like Fernandez's inspired a group at St. Anthony Churchto look into why the city, home to more than 36,000 residents, doesnot have a doctor's office, much less a clinic to help theuninsured.

Over the past five years, Contra Costa Interfaith SupportingCommunity Organization (CCISCO) has worked with city leaders andseveral local legislators to open a clinic in Oakley with the helpof an Oakland-based organization, La Clinica. La Clinica ispreparing to sign a lease on a space in Cypress Square Plaza offMain Street by Big Break Road.

At last week's forum, CCISCO representatives honored severalcontributors and volunteers for their effort to bring the clinic toOakley. They also said they are $163,562 from reaching theirfundraising goal.

'We have received many generous donations,' CCISCO co-chairwomanIris Gomez said.

So far, the group has racked up $915,000 through several largecontributors, including John Muir Health Foundations ($450,000),Sutter Delta Medical Center ($200,000) and Kaiser Permanente($40,000).

Gomez said the group is waiting for Kaiser's national board ofdirectors to sign off on an additional $500,000 grant that will notonly help the clinic open its doors but also provide the neededfunds to sustain the operation for the next three years.

'Kaiser is the key,' Oakley City Manager Bryan Montgomery said.

He said that if the grant comes through, the clinic could openits doors early next year.

Additional funding would be necessary for the clinic to stayopen. One option for funding could be the federal health care billsigned into law in March.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act allows for moneyto support clinics in communities throughout the nation. Supportersof the Oakley clinic hope that their community will be one of them.The federal grants will not be decided until next summer.

Help from local leaders would be needed to obtain the funding,Montgomery said. Gomez encouraged residents to continue writingletters to let legislators know of the need for a clinic in Oakley.

The clinic will offer an array of medical services, includingprenatal care and referrals to specialists. Most important toorganizers here, La Clinica will make special efforts to accommodatelow-income residents. The clinic will help new patients access stateand federal health care funds, and offer services on a sliding-feescale.