Cheers for Children’s Health is June 8, 2023, and ticket sales are now live! Join us to celebrate another year of service to the Cook and Lake county communities.
This year, enjoy a glass of wine or a cold brew while touring our newest mobile clinic, participating in interactive activities and learning about the continuing progress of Mobile Care Chicago, all on the spectacular lawn of The Duncan by Flats. Bring the whole family for the fun and enjoy a complimentary meal as well!
Help us keep our clinics on the road (and have fun at the same time!). Click HERE to register now!
We’re revealing the winning design of our Lake County Asthma Van decal design contest next week! Our three finalists are all incredible designers from both Chicago and Lake County areas! Today, meet, or re-meet Pablo Alejandro, Chicago-based designer and our most recent art contest winner!
Please re-introduce yourself for those who may not have seen your t-shirt design/interview!
My name is Pablo Alejandro I’m a graphic designer here in Chicago working to build my brand/company to a point where I can support my family and provide generational wealth with my art.
What have you been up to since we last interviewed you? Any new projects on the horizon?
Since we’ve talked I recently became a Graphic Designer for one of the best signage companies in Chicago, I have a new baby on the way and working on buying my first home, Starting may we will relocate my studio to Chicago and I hope to open a storefront with my friends to sell some of my pieces.
What inspired your design for the Lake County Asthma Van?
My design is inspired by being able to overcome no matter what obstacle is in front of you, having asthma just a part of everyday life while still being able to partake in activities with your friends. I want the van to be welcoming to the children and intrigue them so that they’re excited to come inside.
Where have you been finding inspiration lately?
Lately my son has been my biggest source of inspiration, I ask him all the time for his opinion and his perspective on the world, aside from him I get inspiration from my family traditions and past experiences that made me who I am.
What is the best part about living in Chicago?
The best part of living in Chicago is the food, and the art/ pop up community. There is always something to do if you’re looking to “pop out”.
Favorite Chicago neighborhood and why?
My favorite Chicago neighborhood is Fulton Market, the streetwear community is growing there and there’s a lot of great places to shop as well as eat delicious food. My two favorite things to do; eat and shop.
What is your biggest hope for Chicago?
My biggest hope for Chicago is that we spend less money on law enforcement/ ticketing people and more on resources/ programs that will help/heal our youth. We spend too much time focused on how to punish people instead of providing programs that could prevent breaking the law. I hope more people are inspired to follow Mobile Care Chicago’s example and provide much needed free resources to our children.
We’re revealing the winning design of our Lake County Asthma Van decal design contest next week! Our three finalists are all incredible designers from both Chicago and Lake County areas! Today meet Melissa Gutierrez and her brand No Bad Fruit!
Tell us about yourself: who are you, what do you do!
My name is Melissa Gutierrez, I am the owner and creator of NoBadFruit. NoBadFruit is my art brand that focuses on food waste. Through digital art, merchandise, lifestyle products, and special events, I hope to spread awareness and educate individuals on food waste, locally and globally. My art is colorful, bright, cartoony and includes a lot of humor and scenes that viewers can relate to. If I can inspire people to reduce the amount of food they waste, we can limit the amount of hunger, and improve the environment. I want to inspire change, teach the importance of food & resources, promote a better eating lifestyle and create a movement that’ll make the earth a mindful, kinder healthier and sustainable place.
How did you learn about Mobile Care Chicago? What parts of MCC resonate with you the most?
I heard about Mobile Care Chicago actually from my friend Pablo with PabsPrints! He designed a tee shirt for you guys not too long ago. I checked you guys out and followed right away. I found that MCC resonated with me because it made me think of my brothers. Both my older and younger brothers have asthma and I just remember how difficult it was for them to play sports consistently.
What inspired your decal design?
My decal design was inspired by fresh air and the phrase “grow with the flow.” I wanted to connect to asthma in a way that wasn’t too obvious but more subtle. When I think of asthma, I think about the ability to breathe and enjoy the air (both indoors or outdoors) and so I put my characters doing a variety of things in the sky. I also wanted to use a lot of bright colors and keep my design simple for the kiddos. I hope this design brings joy, excitement and fun to all the viewers
What is your favorite Chicago neighborhood and why?
Hmmm, thats a hard one. Lol I’m originally from California and have loved Chicago since I moved out here. I would say Wicker Park, Fulton Market, Pilsen and Logan Square. There’s just so much art, culture and personality in these spots, I’ve enjoyed a lot of cool events and shows in these areas, so definitely my top choices.
Favorite Chicago spots?
I like going to Punch Bowl Social, ChinaTown, or the TimeOut Market.
As an artist/designer, where have you been finding inspiration lately? Are there any artists we should check out
Inspiration for me usually comes from music, food and the water (lake or beach) but lately I feel like memories have been my inspiration. Thinking a lot about why I liked things as a kid and what really attracted me. Even just personal experiences and places I’ve been. I like to be playful but also relatable in my art, so my own mind definitely holds a lot of that! For artists to check out, definitely @daremelife_ , @yueskeyluna and @megmakesstainedglass on Instagram!
What are you working on now? Where can we find your work/socials?
And Im currently working on another product drop, another figurine design and upcoming shows! I will have a piece at the Blnk Gallery! (It’s an all female artist show, so I would recommend to check it out!)
We’re revealing the winning design of our Lake County Asthma Van decal design contest next week! Our three finalists are all incredible designers from both Chicago and Lake County areas! Today, meet Morgan Garleff, Chicago-based graphic designer.
Tell us about yourself: who are you, what do you do! I’m Morgan Garleff! A freelance graphic designer based in Chicago, originally from Michigan. I am a multi-discipline designer that specializes in brand identities. I am really passionate about design as well as art, music, culture and fashion. When I’m not traveling or at home with my partner and our cat Pepper, I’m thrifting and going to estate sales. I run a small vintage business on the side with one of my best friends (check us out @aukershop).
How did you learn about Mobile Care Chicago? What parts of MCC resonate with you the most?
I have friends that work for Mobile Care and some that have worked with them creatively in the past. I’ve been to some fundraising events and really was impressed by the organization. MCC resonates with me because they are providing really important services to those who really need it. It is providing solutions and communicating effectively to larger issues communities are facing.
What inspired your decal design?
My van design was inspired by the abundance of health care when many work together. I used the overlapping colors and shapes as a way to convey the endless possibilities for all seeking care and what incredible things that can happen when we receive it.
What is your favorite Chicago neighborhood and why? I don’t know if I have a favorite, they are all unique and cool in their own way!
Favorite Chicago spots? Museum of Contemporary Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Cultural Center, Mia Mora (Everyone go here!), Store B Vintage, any Village Discount Outlet, Vintage House Chicago (Locations and dates always changing) Lula Cafe, Doma Cafe, any Foxtrot (the one on milwaukee is my favorite), Merz Apothecary, HaiSous, Jimmy Beans, Gather, Same Day Cafe, there are so many others!
As an artist/designer, where have you been finding inspiration lately? Are there any artists we should check out?
I just traveled to New Orleans and took way too many photos of old signage on buildings, store-fronts and these really beautiful tiles that have the street names on the sidewalks. I’m always trying to find typography inspiration in the wild as well as interesting type character design. Recently, I’ve found a female type designer named
Margot Lévêque (@margot.leveque) who I am a big fan of.
What are you working on now? Where can we find your work/socials?
Some various freelance branding and packaging projects, but always trying to find new work! You can find my work on my website at morgangarleff.com or my instagram @morgangarleff.
Tell us about yourself: who are you, what do you do!
My name is Jess and I’m a graphic designer and musician in the band Tenci.
What parts of MCC resonate with you the most?
I really admire how Mobile Care provides children accessible asthma and dental care in a way that feels really inviting. They travel around the Chicagoland area to meet kids where they’re at, adding another layer of care that is often overlooked. Many families don’t have the time or income to make regularly scheduled doctor’s appointments, and Mobile Care hasn’t forgotten about those people. In a city where many people’s basic needs aren’t met, they give me hope that we can work within our communities to help each other get the care we need.
What inspired your decal design?
I felt really inspired by the “artists of the wall” murals painted on the Rogers Park lakefront benches. These murals have a vibrant, childlike playfulness to them and a communal feeling that I’m really drawn to. I’m sure there are many children who are nervous about receiving medical care, and I wanted to create a design that felt really welcoming and imaginative.
What is your favorite Chicago neighborhood and why?
Rogers Park! I’ve lived in 8 different neighborhoods since I’ve lived in Chicago, and I feel most at ease here. Being a 10 minute walk to the lake is the biggest perk for me, but also all of the good food and art around me, and generally the community here feels very generous.
Favorite Chicago spots?
I feel like this changes every year, but currently – Montrose Bird Sanctuary, West Ridge Nature Park, Garfield Conservatory, Anto Pizza & Pasta, any of the beaches in Rogers Park / Edgewater, Glenwood Farmers Market in the spring and summer
As an artist/designer, where have you been finding inspiration lately? Are there any artists we should check out 👀
I’ve recently been reading a lot of interviews/articles on The Creative Independent and have been feeling really moved by all of the different ways artists move through the world. I also have lots of talented friends who are constantly creating and I’m always inspired by the things they make. Check out: Nicolette Lim, Aki Takebayashi, Earl Mitchell & October Garner
What are you working on now? Where can we find your work/socials?
Currently I’m working on printing my first coloring book! You can find my work at jess-shoman.com and my IG is @tenci.band
We want to highlight someone who has supported not only Mobile Care, but asthma patients across the world. Mia Fritsch-Anderson uses Instagram and Tiktok to make learning about asthma FUN! She is constantly creating engaging and educational videos, which you can find here.Mia, a high school senior living in Chicago, has asthma herself. On top of creating impressive amounts of content, she makes and donates inhaler covers, dances, boxes, participates in pageants and much more. Mia inspires us in many ways. We want to reach as many kids in need of care as possible so they are able to do all of things that Mia does, without worrying about their symptoms!!
What inspired you to create content about asthma and lung health? When did you start making this content and why?
I have been volunteering and doing lung advocacy for years but during the pandemic I really considered who I wanted to reach and how could I be most effective. I’m a teen and I know how much we are all on social media, and that was who I really wanted to connect with. So, I started making reels and TikTok’s about asthma. First, I just focused on what it feels like to live with asthma and what people get wrong, but I now also talk about things like using a spacer, how to use an inhaler, and even working with your local pharmacist. I always make sure to cite and use trusted sources as well, and always refer people back to their health care professionals! There is so much false information on social media, some of it well meaning, and some is just flat-out predatory, like selling expensive “cures” that do not work. That is why I back everything up with real educational sources. The response has been more than I ever expected. It’s really gratifying to get messages from kids and teens saying they related to my post or they felt understood.
Screenshot from @miarosefa_choosetobreathe tutorial video.
When did you first find out you had asthma, and how did you feel about your diagnosis?
I was first diagnosed as a toddler, just one year old, so I don’t remember a time when I didn’t have it- it’s just something I always had to live with. The first memories I have of asthma are spending time in the hospital and carrying my inhaler in school in a mini backpack so I could have it with me all the time instead of it sitting in the nurse’s office.
What is life like dealing with a chronic illness? What advice would you give to kids dealing with Asthma or similar issues?
I think the biggest thing that bothers me is that there are just so many misconceptions about what asthma is and what people with asthma can and can’t do, and that’s mostly because it isn’t portrayed very accurately on TV and in movies. People think that someone with asthma should be super nerdy and can’t be an athlete. Instead of being embarrassed when I need to use my inhaler in public (and I do, a lot- I dance, weight-lift, run, box- and I use my rescue if I need it!) I think of it as an opportunity to change people’s minds. I’ve learned that as long as I take my daily and rescue inhalers, my asthma is well-controlled and I can do the things I want to do.
The other challenge with living with a chronic illness is just making sure I always have my rescue inhaler with me- everybody forgets stuff! I tell my friends where I keep it just in case I need help- being able to talk about it with friends helps normalize it too!
What do you do in your free time (if you have any free time!!) Favorite shows, activities, etc.!
I am an Irish dancer and practice 4-5 days a week, I love to box and run for endurance, and my friends and I love finding new coffee or boba spots around the city. I am also obsessed with all things MARVEL!
Tell us about the beautiful inhaler covers you make (and donated to Mobile Care- thank you!!)
The inhaler covers were another idea I had to make inhalers more fun and to try and make it feel like less of a device. I make them in bright colors and fun patterns- and a bonus is it also helps me find mine in my bag faster! I make and donate them free of charge all over Chicagoland through local offices, the FAN program with the Respiratory Health Association, and the Asthma Van too!
You are a person of many talents. What do you want to do after high school?
I am going through the college application process right now as a senior in high school! I’m applying to Engineering programs and hope to major in Mechanical Engineering.
Mobile Care Chicago and the Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation are inviting artists from the Chicagoland area and beyond to design the exterior of a brand-new medical treatment van launching in Lake County. The artist with the selected design will be compensated a total of $2,000, and their design will be seen all throughout Lake County as we reach kids who need free, accessible care. Read on for details!
Mobile Care Chicago is a non-profit organization based in Chicago, Illinois. MCC’s mission is to deliver no-cost medical and preventative care, education, and support to low-income children and families within their communities aboard mobile medical clinics. Mobile Care specializes in asthma and allergy care, including screening and diagnosing those who are unaware that their health issues stem from asthma.
Asthma is a severe health issue that disproportionately affects disinvested communities across Chicagoland and Lake County. The need for comprehensive asthma care is high in Lake County, and children need accessible care – a mobile unit that will treat them from the comfort and convenience of their school.
Luckily, there will soon be an Asthma Van in Lake County! The medical unit, which is slated for launch in February 2023, is MCC’s first full-time mobile clinic based outside of the Chicago area. The mobile unit is a collaborative project between MCC and Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation, a charitable organization based in Lake County. CDRYAF’s mission is to educate, advocate, and provide services for families and youth suffering from asthma, with a focus on lessening the potentially adverse health effects on asthmatic youth and young adults involved in athletics within underserved communities.
We want kids to be excited to see the van and receive treatment on it, and for families to be able to recognize the medical clinic as it drives from school to school. That’s where you come in! Help us create a unique van decal, and walk away with some $$$!
We need a new Asthma Van decal design, and we want to work with Lake County creatives to pull it off! See below for compensation and details.
Submit your art/design portfolio to enter! Link can be found at the end of this post.
After reviewing artist portfolios, Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation and MCC will select three finalists, who will each be compensated $500 for a mock-up of the Asthma Van wrap. Using a flat lay template provided by Mobile Care, finalists will create a design that speaks to:
Community and Care
CDRYAF’s mission and/or MCC’s mission
2. From there, an internal team will vote on the final design. The artist whose design is selected will be compensated $1500, on top of the $500 mock-up fee. The winning designer will walk away with $2000 in total.
Requirements:
While there are no experience requirements, MCC suggests all applicants be proficient in Adobe InDesign + designing within a flat lay template.
The selected finalists will be sent a creative brief, and will be paid $500 each upon completion of the mock-up. Selected finalists will have 10 days to submit a mock-up, so applicants should be comfortable with that turn-around time!
Applicants should be from or currently living in Cook County, Illinois + Lake County Illinois
Big things are happening in 2023. At the start of the new year, we announced that we are expanding into Lake County in partnership with the Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation, founded by Mike and Helen Redding. It was important that we share Mike and Helen’s story in their own words – read on to learn about their journey and how they first connected with MCC!
Mike and Helen Redding with MCC team members Louisa Pavlik (Grant Writer) and Melissa Reyes (Medical Program Coordinator)
Tell us your story- how did CDRYAF come to be? In November 2003, our youngest son Christopher passed away, at age 18, from a fatal exercise induced asthma attack while jogging near our home, just hours before returning to college (Drake University) later in the afternoon. It was only the second asthma attack suffered by Christopher in his life time…the first occurred just one year previously while he was running track at a high school meet. Christopher’s untimely death revealed to us how little we knew about asthma—we thought that the first asthma attack was an isolated event; after all, Christopher was strong of mind and body, spending much of his time in the weight room at Lake Zurich High School!
Determined that no other family should undergo a senseless tragedy due to a lack of education about asthma, the CDRYAF was formed to provide asthma screenings, asthma management education to youth, families, athletic personnel and communities, access to recreational opportunities (such as asthma camps) for youth with asthma, and college scholarships to graduating high school student athletes with a diagnosed case of asthma. CDRYAF also advocates for legislative changes for improved asthma management policies such as standardized asthma management protocols and stock albuterol to assist asthma exacerbations while students are in school.
Tell us a little bit about yourselves…. As 38-year residents of Lake County (Lake Zurich), the Redding Family and its 9-year old community based charitable organization, hold strong ties in Lake County. The Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation received its 501(c)(3) designation in 2014 and launched operations in 2015. The Foundation is governed by a 9-member Board of Directors and operated primarily with the assistance of our working Board of Directors, volunteers, and collaborating partners. Our programs include asthma screenings and management, asthma management education (workshops and health fairs), college scholarships to graduating high school student-athletes with a diagnosed case of asthma, and advocacy for improved asthma management policies in Illinois schools.
On a personal note, we are the proud parents of three sons (Paul, Michael Jr., and Christopher), grandparents of six grandchildren and great grandparents of one grandson.
Helen is the Founder of the Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation. She spent more than 42 years in the banking industry and retired as a Senior Vice President from Citigroup, Illinois in 2013. Helen is actively involved in community and civic activities as a proud member of both Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and The Links, Incorporated.
Michael Sr. is the Co-Founder of the Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation and also retired after spending more than 40 years in Telecommunications and Food manufacturing industries.
We’d love to get to know Christopher! Christopher was a 3-sport scholar-athlete, honor student, and Captain of the Lake Zurich High School Football team where he led his team to the IHSA Class 7A semi-finals. Christopher played the position of running back, and was the second highest rusher and scorer in the school’s history. Active in high school athletics, Christopher was also a member of the Wrestling and Track teams. While Christopher was undoubtedly a gifted athlete, Lake Zurich High School alumni, coaches, and teachers remember Christopher most as a person of strong character and leadership ability.
Christopher was a member of the National Honor Society and volunteered with Lake Zurich High School’s peer mediation and mentoring program. He was elected Homecoming King during his Senior year of high school. Following his graduation from Lake Zurich High School in 2003, Christopher attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa where he majored in Business Administration and was a member of the football team.
Christopher was not only an outstanding student-athlete who did not smoke cigarettes nor drink alcohol but was a young man of faith who studied his Bible and worshipped God. Immediately upon enrolling in college at Drake University, Christopher joined the Fellowship of Christian Athletes which is a national organization. A few of Chris’ hobbies were computer technology, social media, playing video games with his many friends, and dancing at some of the local dance clubs. Some of Chris’s long-term goals were to play college football along with playing in the NFL and eventually forming his own software company.
What are your proudest accomplishments since launching CDRYAF and why? We started our Foundation to help other families avoid the same tragedy as ours, so educating families and advocating for asthma-friendly policies for those families in underserved communities have been among our proudest accomplishments. This is Christopher’s legacy!
How and when did you first meet Matt and the Mobile Care Chicago team? We first met Matt in 2014 when he served as a Program Manager for Mobile Care Foundation. My vision to start a Foundation to help youth in underserved communities began with educating myself and conducting a great deal lot of research on asthma and asthma disparities in many zip codes in the Chicago area. We are talking months of research which taught me that barriers to medical ac cess was one of the greatest issues for youth in underserved communities who were using hospital emergency departments as their primary care physicians!
My great idea…why not take the medical access to the youth in those communities…meet the kids where they are…start a mobile asthma van! My research led me to an already existing Mobile Asthma Van…Mobile Care Foundation! I called Matt and requested a meeting to learn more! Matt was very gracious, informative, and gave me all the time I needed to learn about and understand the Mo bile Asthma Van program, which became my dream and long-term vision! We became partners with Mobile Care, assisting with screenings and asthma management education to schools and community groups located in underserved communities, and even “borrowing” the Mobile Asthma Van for our planned community events. Mobile Care was our first partner and has been the best partner for a small, emerging organization like the Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation since that first meeting. We were always treated with dignity, respect, and equally even though we were newly formed and much smaller. So, when the opportunity came to collaborate on acquiring and operating a Mobile Van jointly, it was the realization of our dream!
What made you want to continue working with MCC? As noted above, the kindness, dignity, and respect with which we have always been treated; the cooperation to achieve mutual goals of stamping out asthma in underserved communities, and the willingness to always assist the CDRYAF when needed! Working with Mobile Care will assist our mutual goals….CDRYAF benefitting from the 22-years of expertise of Mobile Care operating mobile clinics and Mobile Care benefitting from CDRYAF’s community ties in the Lake County area.
Tell us a little more about the Lake County’s need for accessible health services- How will launching a mobile unit impact your foundation and community? With assistance from the University of Chicago ACHIEVE program, we recently conducted an assessment of asthma in the Lake County area. We received data indicating the severity of asthma in Waukegan, Zion, North Chicago and other communities in Lake County. Launching a mobile van in Lake County will assist in mitigating these issues as we eliminate barriers to medical access and pro vide specialist care which will allow youth in these underserved communities to control their asthma, reduce emergency department visits, and improve school absenteeism and missed work days for parents and guardians.
What is your ultimate goal with CDRYAF? Our goals are to own and operate a mobile van that serves families in underserved communities in the Chicago Metropolitan area while also providing asthma education and promoting asthma aware ness and prevention. Long-range goals also include sponsoring or operating an asthma camp where youth can learn to manage their asthma in a fun learning environment.
What are you most excited about for 2023? Working with Mobile Care Chicago which has a proven history of success.
I’m thrilled to announce that Mobile Care Chicago is launching a new Asthma Van in 2023, dedicated to delivering asthma and allergy care to children in Lake County! The Lake County Asthma Van, which is slated for launch in February 2023, is our first full-time mobile clinic based outside of the Chicago area. The mobile unit is a collaborative project between our staff and the Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation, a charitable organization based in Lake County.
Mobile Care Chicago’s journey into Lake County began over 10 years ago. Thanks to funding from the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County, MCC conducted an extensive needs assessment of Lake County in 2010 and 2011. The data strongly suggested that pediatric asthma specialists were not available for families who were on Medicaid or were uninsured. Furthermore, families faced similar access barriers to those in Chicago: long distances to reach adequate medical care, inability to take time off of work, dependence on urgent/emergency care, and clinics that charged large fees for appointments. A lot has happened since 2011, but the basic reality expressed in our report, unfortunately, has not substantially changed.
Over my tenure at MCC, we’ve repeatedly tried to launch a Lake County Asthma Van, only for funding or infrastructure to stop us in our tracks. As you likely know, a full-time mobile unit costs about $400,000 per year to operate, and MCC takes sustainability very seriously. We do not want to enroll someone in medical care for a chronic condition if we are not confident that we will be able to sustain their good health year-over-year for the length of their childhood.
I was blessed to meet Helen and Mike Redding in 2014, when they were also looking to launch an Asthma Van. Since that time, we’ve worked together on many education and awareness projects. Neither of our two organizations could sustain a Lake County Asthma Van on our own, but together we have been fortunate enough to secure funding for the new mobile unit, as well as the first year of expenses. It would take too long in this message to introduce Helen and Mike in a way that would do justice to their incredible passion for this project, as well as the years of effort they’ve put into making this dream a reality. The achievement of launching this mobile unit carries greater meaning for having brought it to fruition together.
We are already reaching out to school districts in Lake County to let them know that free, high quality asthma and allergy care will soon be available. I know some folks on this email thread have connections to school districts in Lake County, and if you think your school district could benefit I’d appreciate if you’d email me so we can talk. Our initial focus is Waukegan, North Chicago, and Zion, but I recognize that the need is much greater than that and I look forward to speaking with schools, hospital systems, and primary care offices who may be looking for a place to make referrals. Finally, thank you for your support! As I said, this project is the fulfillment of over a decade of work, not to mention the 23 years during which your contributions allowed us to create our nationally-recognized model of care. On behalf of everyone here at Mobile Care Chicago, thanks for making it all possible.
It would be nearly impossible to work with schools without a school representative, and in most cases our point person is the school nurse. We started working with Nurse Conway in 2014. She is an integral part of our model-of-care and why we’re able to reach so many students in the South Suburbs. She is also the first person we call when we’re going to try something new and innovative – she was involved in Lung Fest, COVID testing/vaccination, implementing universal consent forms, and launching home environment assessments. All of our clinics team appreciate the hard work Nurse Conway does to make our school visits run smoothly!
We asked Nurse Conway for her perspective on MCC and the importance of accessible care:
Why is having easy access to health services important? Easy access to health services is critical to the well-being of our students. It would be fabulous if all of our families had equal access to health services at the same level. Unfortunately, that is not our reality for various reasons. Having services available at school through Mobile Care levels the playing field for all students which ultimately has a direct impact on learning. If we are able to close that gap by providing critical health care services, our students will be able to perform at their highest capacity.
How has Mobile Care positively impacted your students?
Since partnering with Mobile Care Chicago, our district has been positively impacted in various ways. For instance, our students now have access to services earlier in development during those critical years of growth. They are able to be monitored by a service that can follow them and intervene with a medical plan if necessary. Our students are now spending less time out of school because their needs are being met through the services mobile care provides. We have also seen a steady increase in medical compliance as mandated by ISBE. Students that are in need are scheduled for an appointment on the mobile van and are brought up to date with all the necessary medical requirements for their grade levels.
What makes Mobile Care an ideal organization to work beside?
It has been a pleasure to work with the staff from Mobile Care Chicago! They are flexible, reliable and consistent. They are here on their scheduled days on time. They are always professional and knowledgeable. They have been flexible over the years and just always willing to make sure that at the end of their day, they have provided the services that parents have consented to with the highest level of quality. They have made my job as a school nurse that much more rewarding!
What health service do you wish more students could easily access on a van like Mobile Care’s?
Definitely vision and mental health services. Those are the 2 things that are needed a lot more frequently than in previous years, but the access is limited. This is across all ages and grade levels. Our students would benefit tremendously from having greater access in these 2 areas. It’s not as rewarding to provide a parent with outside resources, not knowing if the service will actually be provided. There’s less chance the parent will actually follow up, which impacts the student negatively in the long run.
What is your favorite Chicago spot!
I do love Blue Aguave Tequila Bar on Kinzie. I also enjoy the wine tastings at Cooper’s Hawk Winery.
