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Laura Standish, RN

Here are the numbers from 2013 that matter most to Laura Standish, RN: four clinics, nearly 1,300 health education visits and 335 vaccines ­- all free and for the benefit of children living in Fort Worth’s most underserved communities.

As the director and a driving force behind the new Pediatric Mobile Clinic, Ms. Standish is one of the leaders of UNT Health Science Center’s initiative to bring basic health care services directly to the children who need them most.

The Fort Worth Business Press recognized Standish’s effort at a banquet Wednesday night, naming her one of its 2014 Health Care Heroes. Also honored was the Artemis Medical Society, a mentoring, networking and advocacy organization for female physicians of color. One of its founding members is Tonya Sweezer, a second-year student in the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.

“Laura has unparalleled commitment and dedication to the Pediatric Mobile Clinic being developed at UNTHSC,” said W. Paul Bowman, MD, Chair of Pediatrics.  “We are indebted to Laura that the clinic will soon be rolling for children’s health in our city’s neediest areas.”

The Pediatric Mobile Clinic is operated by UNT Health with funding from the Rainwater Charitable Foundation, the Morris Foundation, the Amon G. Carter Foundation and others. It will undergo a dramatic change later this year with the addition of a 40-foot recreational vehicle equipped with two patient-exam rooms, areas for case management, social services, registration, laboratory and specimen collection, and an on-board pharmacy.

“We want to bring comprehensive medical care and health education directly to populations that are most at risk for barriers to health care access,” Standish said. “By improving the overall health of children living in Fort Worth, we know we can help them reach their highest potential.”

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