News release from Mountain Area Health Education Center:
“When there’s a fire, you can run to the fire or you can run away from the fire. MAHEC runs to the fire. Whether it’s maternal fetal health disparities, opioid use disorder, COVID—you name it—we have run to the fire. We’re going to continue to do that.”
Those were the words of William R. Hathaway, MD, the CEO of the nonprofit organization Mountain Area Health Education Center, in a video launched in September 2024 in conjunction with an event celebrating MAHEC’s 50th anniversary. Exactly one week later, Dr. Hathaway’s words proved once again to be true when Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina.
“When disaster struck, MAHEC did what we’ve always done: We showed up,” said Hathaway, “staffing emergency shelters, caring for mothers and babies, providing mental health counseling, and restoring healthcare services in the hardest-hit communities.”
A new report, Caring for Western North Carolina: Hope After Helene, shares some of the stats and stories of the ways MAHEC “ran to the fire” when the storm devastated the region. Examples of what readers will find in the 16-page report include the following:
- Within 72 hours following the storm, MAHEC was already helping to staff emergency shelters, including the one at A-B Tech’s Ferguson Center, set up to serve those dependent on power for medical equipment.
“When we in Buncombe County government called Dr. Hathaway [about staffing the emergency medical shelter] and he said, ‘We’ve got this,’ it was a huge relief. We knew we didn’t have to worry because of the skill, capacity, and quality MAHEC brings to any situation, including COVID. We are so grateful for that.” –Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder.
- MAHEC providers also helped staff pop-up clinics in Swannanoa, Black Mountain, and Lake Lure, treating more than 1,000 patients.
- With four days, MAHEC had a fully functioning walk-in clinic to provide care to the community; 1,031 patients from 12 different counties were seen there in the first two weeks following the storm.
- In the month after the storm, MAHEC providers safely delivered 45 babies and provided care to 2,214 expectant mothers. Nineteen high-risk pregnancies were managed in MAHEC’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine unit, the region’s only provider of this specialized care.
- MAHEC psychiatrists and licensed therapists saw 2,255 patients immediately after the storm and throughout the following weeks.
- With contributions from more than 150 donors nationwide, MAHEC was able to establish an emergency relief fund to assist 82 MAHEC employees who lost homes, vehicles, and more.
View the online version of the Caring for Western North Carolina: Hope After Helene impact report here. Printed copies are also available upon request.
