Lee County Healthy Days provided much needed FREE healthcare for 236 patients during the second annual event held at the Leeman Field at Pennington Gap on September 5-6.
The Health Wagon along with wonderful partners provided FREE services including echocardiograms, chest x-rays, lab work, hearing screenings, bone density screenings, mammograms, pap smears, physical examinations, dermatology evaluations, mental health, pharmacy medication management, vision screenings, and sign-ups for insurance.
In addition, specialty pulmonary, cardiology and pediatrics consults were provided. Much needed dental care was provided that included dental examinations, cleaning, fillings and extractions. Eye exam and eyeglasses made on site were also provided.
Health Wagon CEO Dr. Teresa Tyson, DNP FNP-BC, stated that “This event serves as a beacon of hope, offering comprehensive healthcare services, specialty care, diagnostic services, educational resources, and community support to individuals and families in need, all at no cost to the patients. It not only brought medical, dental and vision specialty services, it brought hope to individuals and families facing healthcare access barriers, empowering them to prioritize their health and well-being.”
“This is a great story and tells of an event that can easily be duplicated in multiple locations year-round to get people needed health care,” said Dr. Joe Smiddy, Health Wagon Medical Director. Also, as a local musician Dr. Smiddy entertained the patients with gospel music as a member of the Lee County Pickers. Local resident Ron Car and 4Him also joined in the beautiful singings that deliver a spiritual complement to the event.
Educational Initiatives, Community Engagement and Vendor Participants:
Lee County Healthy Day featured educational booths providing valuable information on nutrition, preventive healthcare measures, and valuable resources. Educational sessions led by healthcare professionals addressed topics such as diabetes management, heart health, and cancer prevention, fostering a culture of health literacy and empowerment within the community.
In addition to medical services, Move Mountains Medical Mission offered dental services for adults and pediatrics through Owens and Hill Dental Clinic mobile outreach and Appalachia Miles for Smiles. The services provided included oral cancer screenings, exams, fillings, extractions, and cleanings. Mountain Empire Community College Dental Assistant Program under the direction of Dr. Emily Bowen, DDS provided cleanings to the participants.
Partners who made this event possible included Appalachian Miles for Smiles, Ballad Health, The Lions Club of Virginia, Virginia Department of Health, Lab Corp, Pepsi & Food City, Feeding Southwest Virginia, United Breast Cancer Foundation, Frontier Health, SaVida Health, Kinship Navigator, Appalachian Harvest, Centene Vision Services, Mountain Empire Community College General Assistant Program under the direction of Dr. Emily Bowen DDS, Owens and Hill Dental Clinic, MEOC, Jennifer Jolife, Patio Restaurant, Pennington Gap Mayor Larry Holbrook, Leeman Field Park Staff, LMU, Lee County, Ron Carson and For Him, Lee County Pickers and The Health Wagon.
The following is a summary of services provided at Lee County Healthy Days:
Services Provided and Estimated Cost of Service Value and Patients seen:
A comprehensive range of healthcare services to 236 patients, including:
Chest X-Rays, pulmonary function tests, echocardiograms (Echo), electrocardiograms (EKG), cardiology evaluations, mammograms, pap Smears, vision screenings, eyeglasses, hearing screenings, physicals, diabetic education, lab services, dental services including oral cancer screenings, extractions and fillings.
Total Estimated Cost of Care (that was provided at no charge): $161,501.05 Total of patients seen: 236
Impact:
The Lee County Health Day (Mini M7) had a profound impact on the community, providing vital healthcare services to 236 patients across Lee County as well as surrounding counties. The comprehensive range of services offered addressed diverse healthcare needs within the community.
Up next are ocular disease screening clinics in conjunction with the University of Pikeville College of Optometry and for more information call 276-328-8850.
Monday, October 7 – 9:30am-3:30pm- Wise County Court House Parking lot
Wednesday, October 16 – 9:30am- 3:30pm- Sister Bernie Clinic, Clintwood, Va.
Thursday, November 14 – 9:30am- 3:30pm- Dr. Smiddy Clinic, Health Wagon, Wise, Va

About the Health Wagon:
The Health Wagon is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing healthcare services to underserved and uninsured populations in rural Appalachia. The Health Wagon is a nurse practitioner managed clinic that has been in existence since 1980 which provides free medical, dental, pharmacy and vision care services in Lee, Scott, Wise, Dickenson, Buchanan and Russell Counties and Norton City. For more information about The Health Wagon, please call 276-328-8850 or visit www.thehealthwagon.org. If you would like to donate to the Health Wagon,501(c)(3) nonprofit, please visit: www.thehealthwagon.org/donate.