Since it began in 1999, Project Access has donated more than $200 million in medical care.
The local nonprofit coordinates with about 600 local physicians to provide health care for uninsured Sedgwick County residents. In 19 years, it has provided medical care for more than 14,000 people.
Shelley Duncan, executive director of Project Access, said many of the patients faced potentially life-threatening conditions and had no access to medical care.
“The people in our program who get this care have been diagnosed with a serious health condition,” she said. “They are not coming to us for a sore throat or a temperature.
“They may have been diagnosed with cancer, heart disease or a serious injury, and they don’t have insurance.”
She said although $200 million is a major milestone for Project Access, it is only the beginning.
“Our goal is to be around for another $200 million because we know that there will always be people that can’t afford insurance, and they are going to need health care,” Duncan said.
“We really are there for people that have nowhere else to turn.”
To celebrate the milestone, Project Access will host a Final Friday event at 125 N. Market on Friday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Ray Strunk is an intern in the KMUW News Lab.