Children, adults, and families either go without healthcare or go without another necessity just so they can live. Healthcare costs and expenses have risen steadily over the years, far outpacing the incomes and insurance coverage of many Surry County citizens. Most people can make due, but plenty will not be able to make the most out of their life simply because they cannot afford a doctor or needed service. 

The most expensive kind of healthcare is emergency and intervention services. This includes trips to the Emergency Department, treatments for sickness, chemotherapy for cancers, CPAP machines for breathing problems, and countless other interventions. The reality is that most illnesses and injuries that lead to high-cost intervention services are preventable. Not only do prevention services cost significantly less, but they often impact more people and reduce the risk of needing to access emergency and intervention services. 

It makes sense then that as a small, local nonprofit trying to keep our neighbors healthy as efficiently as possible, we found that prevention is where we should place our focus. We have invested into the reduction of disease spread through vaccines, challenged the rising trend of obesity through health education, and reduced the burden of healthcare costs on patients by funding needed medical equipment. Every dollar that we place in prevention holds the potential to save families ten dollars in emergency or intervention care down the road. 

It's not just more money in your pocket: It's also more days spent healthy, more years with your loved ones, more social outings without fear of illness, and more enjoyment out of the life you live. Prevention spreads beyond the patient who receives the care. Every person who stays healthy in one way or another helps to keep those immediately around them safe too. When nobody has to go without healthcare, everybody benefits. To us and to those who have benefited from access to health services, every hour and dollar spent on this cause is well worth it.