Last fall, 65 surgeons, 60 anesthesiologists and the area’s hospitals and surgery centers provided free surgical procedures to 65 low-income patients without health insurance.They called the program, The Day of Surgical Giving, although the surgeries actually happened over a period of six months.The event took place after doctors had contacted Marcella Ruch to inform her about patients who needed surgery but couldn’t afford it. The doctors were glad to do the surgery themselves, but they needed someone to coordinate the surgery center and an anesthesiologist, Ruch said.Ruch has a long history of providing medical services in Colorado Springs. She founded Mission Medical Clinic and was a key figure in the establishment of the TLC Pharmacy, the only free pharmacy for the area’s low-income residents.She organized the event last year, and is launching this year’s version: The Surgery Project.Like last year, Ruch is matching low-income patients in serious need of surgery with area surgeons who agree to perform the surgeries at no cost.The Surgery Project will spread surgeries over a longer period of time.”I’m calling it a nine-month project, just like having a baby,” Ruch said. “So, we’ll be accepting applications through the first of May.” She said she’s already arranged a surgery for October.All patients must be referred by a doctor, physician’s assistant or nurse-practitioner in El Paso or Teller counties. Patients cannot refer themselves, she said.The Surgery Project is all-volunteer, unconstrained by federal or state income guidelines.Someone who is single, makes $30,000 a year and has no insurance wouldn’t qualify for state or federal safety-net program, Ruch said. They would be over the income guidelines, but they could never afford surgery.”This is a private charity venture to help people in need,” she said. “When I look at peoples’ budgets, income and how many kids they support; I’m able to say ‘yes’ to their surgery.”People don’t apply for it unless they’re in terrible trouble. I’ve never had anyone who could afford to pay ask for free surgery.”Last year, Ruch helped a woman who had no health insurance, and couldn’t afford the hysterectomy she needed. The woman had been bleeding for two years, and used emergency rooms several times to get blood transfusions.”She’d been anemic for so many years that her health had deteriorated a great deal,” Ruch said. “Because of The Day of Surgical Giving, she got her hysterectomy. She’s no longer bleeding, and her anemia is gone. She’s begun to regain her health.”On the downside last year, Ruch had to turn away spinal surgery patients because she was unable to locate a spinal surgeon. This year, a volunteer spinal surgeon from Ann Arbor, Mich., who flies to Colorado Springs regularly to see his daughter, a student at Colorado College, has volunteered his services.”He said he’d be happy to help our community,” she said.Surgeries involving artificial body parts remain a problem, too, Ruch said.A patient who needed a rotator cuff was turned away because they didn’t have a $7,000 artificial rotator cuff, despite the availability of an orthopedic surgeon. “We’re looking for donations of artificial body parts – knees, hips and shoulders,” Ruch said.Some patients are turned away because surgery is too risky, a decision that is made by the surgeon.All of the potential patients are adults.”Children are not eligible because all children can get Medicaid or sign up for the Children’s Health Insurance Program,” Ruch said. “We’re only helping people who have no options.””It’s a wonderful project,” said Mike Hall, medical director for the Audubon Surgery Center in Colorado Springs.”We participated last year, and it worked out very well. We’re looking forward to participating this year.”So far, 73-year-old Ruch has located 64 doctors for The Surgery Project. She works out of an office at Sunrise United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs.Any medical professional interested in referring a patient to The Surgery Project can apply by contacting Ruch at 719-930-9747 or e-mailing marcellarejoice@msn.com.
