The final numbers from the eight day event are in.
Volunteers helped thousands of people, but not as many as they had hoped to. And although the arena sized event captured the attention of the nation, it also shined a spot light on the fact that there are so many people without access to health care. After eight days of offering free care volunteers say that they have done all they could with what they have. Optometrist Jayme Chiu logged nearly 100 hours. “I am so tired, but I told them to keep them coming. If I couldn’t help them that day then they came back the next day. But being that today’s the last day I am pretty sad,” said Chiu. This is Remote Area Medical’s 576 free health care event. But it is the first time that they have offered one in a major metropolitan area. L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa saw the work being done first hand.
“Health care is a right, not a privilege. The idea that RAM and organizations like this have to provide that care when we’re not, is not acceptable,” said Villaraigosa.