A Life-Line Through The Storm

When Thomas Tetrault was diagnosed with Stage 3 invasive oral cancer in 2012, he thought he was doomed. The diagnosis was ominous enough. Being denied health insurance due to a pre-existing condition was devastating. 

Then his primary care physician, Dr. G. William Gray, referred him to We Care, a program organized by the Indian River County Health Department, the Indian River County Medical Society and the Indian River County Medical Society Foundation to offer free specialty health care to qualifying county residents. 

Tetrault met with Leigh Anne Riddle, a registered nurse at the health department who coordinates the schedules of 130 volunteer doctors and medical specialists with the needs of the nearly 2,000 residents who qualify for care each year. We Care patients’ incomes must be less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level and they must be referred by a physician at the Health Department or Treasure Coast Community Health.