Dr. Regali has been with Volunteers In Medicine ever since the beginning. “I keep coming back because I’m enjoying it,” he explains. “I’m healthy and I feel like I can take good care of the patients.” In February of 2001, Dr. Regali came in contact with Volunteer In Medicine’s executive director, Sister Monica Heeran. She encouraged him to use his expertise to care for the medically underserved in his community by joining Volunteers In Medicine.
Despite being in the midst of retirement, Dr. Regali felt a duty to help fulfill the medical needs of the Lane County community. He also looked forward to the chance to keep practicing his skills in medicine.
“I think it’s important to volunteer time because we’ve been blessed, being able to practice medicine. It’s a little way to give back to the community,” states Dr. Regali.
Today, Dr. Regali continues to serve as a core member of the Volunteers In Medicine team, working as a volunteer gynecologist and on the medical advisory board.
The clinic offers Dr. Regali an opportunity to directly improve the lives of fellow community members. While he keeps his patients healthy by providing necessary preventive care, he’s also prepared to respond to more urgent situations. In a recent case, he was able to diagnose a young patient with advanced cervical cancer that would have gone unnoticed if not for the services offered by Volunteers In Medicine. Because of the diagnosis made by Dr. Regali, the patient is now receiving the treatment she needs.
“The impact we have is significant,” urges Dr. Regali. “We provide good quality care for a certain segment of the population, without us being here they would have trouble getting access to health care.”
Dr. Regali understands how much his donated time matters to the Lane County community. “Volunteers In Medicine is unique in a way because its purpose is to take care of people who fall through the cracks,” Dr. Regali explains. His patients come from all backgrounds, but they all need help getting the care they deserve.
The clinic runs on volunteers like Dr. Regali. He encourages all retired medical professionals to consider helping out at Volunteers In Medicine, so they can continue their fulfilling work in medicine and make a tangible difference in the community, just like he has.