WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Jan. 31, 2017 — West Liberty University junior Bryce Kesling is spending time on the streets this academic year. As a human biology major with plans to become a physician assistant, it’s a perfect place to learn.
“I’m taking part in the Homeless Outreach Partnership Effort (HOPE) here in Wheeling with Dr. Bill Mercer and others. It’s sort-of street medicine service work where we take supplies and help out the homeless,” he explained.
The outreach takes place throughout the year and involves hospital residents, volunteers, nursing students, physician assistants and others. The group serves dozens of needy folks every week.
In the fall and spring, the outreach takes place in the field or on the streets. Then from December till spring the clinic moves indoors to the Youth Services System (YSS) Winter Freeze Shelter, Northwood Shelter and the Salvation Army, all located in Wheeling.
Kesling is the son of Mark and Pam Kesling of Weirton and he hopes to enter WLU’s graduate program for physician assistants after he graduates in May 2018. He also is a Student Ambassador for the WLU Admissions Department and serves as an officer of the WLU Physician Assistant Club.
“This homeless work is really important to me. I want to help and it gives me lots of hands-on work, including taking vitals. Right now I’m working on becoming an EMT and I hope to be certified by March,” he added.
Dr. William C. Mercer is a distinguished alumnus of WLU and coordinates the homeless health project as part of his role as a Family Physician and Health Officer for the Wheeling Ohio County Health Department.
“We take our team of volunteers to some of the area’s homeless camps. We do minor care and help get them out of homelessness. We respect them and the people we see respect us. Sometimes our work involves taking a few of them to the hospital, sometimes we just take supplies, or do needle exchange,” he explained. “All of this is through the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department. We are the only health department in the state that has an outreach like this.”
“The people we see know that we will keep on coming to support them no matter what. Sometimes it takes time to earn trust but when you do, you can make something happen,” he added. “Many times homeless people feel safer on the streets than in an official shelter or organization.”
Dr. Mercer’s done the homeless outreach for about 10 years, after learning about a similar outreach at a medical conference in Philadelphia. He then went on homeless rounds in Boston.
“We’re quite organized and there are about 30 volunteers involved. There are two groups now, one headed by myself, and another one led by Dr. Thomas Wack. So many people are involved. The YSS, medical students and hospice nurse Crystal Bauer, who organizes and schedules the volunteers. Plus, Virginia Schellhammer and Marilyn Thomas are active and represent the faith-based group. Another worker is Lisa Badia (Greater Wheeling Coalition for the Homeless).”
Wheeling Hospital Family Practice residents, West Liberty and Wheeling Jesuit University students, medical students from WVU and the West Virginia Osteopathic School of Medicine join groups like Wheeling HealthRight, the Homeless Coalition, Helping Heroes and others in making this community effort work.
Kesling though first heard of the homeless outreach from his aunt, Denise Lucas, a nurse practitioner who now teaches at Duquesne University.
“I like the fact that I get to meet a lot of people and I like the helping aspect. I want to help people that have so little. Plus, you get to meet a lot of people with interesting stories, the homeless are interesting. Many are veterans. And this work makes you realize how much you have. I can go to doctors but these people live with whatever problem they have indefinitely,” said Kesling.
Kesling also has taken part in several professional internships, one at Wheeling Health Right and one at Trinity Health Center, shadowing professionals and learning even more about his future career in medicine.
“Overall, my education at West Liberty University has been everything I need. I get hands-on opportunities, support and demanding academic classes that keep me working hard,” he said. “But I love it. This homeless outreach experience is important to me and to my future.”
The homeless medical clinic is now offered every Friday at the YSS building on 15th Street from Dec. 15 through March 15. After the Winter Freeze shelter closes for the season, the team will go out into the streets on Tuesdays, visiting Heritage Port, areas under bridges and homeless encampments found along Wheeling Creek. The medical team also visits the Northwood Shelter, the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities.
Kesling will be there too as he shares his skills and builds his knowledge in this community endeavor.
“You can tell Bryce really loves it. I’m impressed with him, I can see it in his eyes, this is a guy who wants to make a difference in his life,” said Dr. Mercer.