The Health Wagon proudly presented Dr. Joseph F. Smiddy, M.D. with the Appalachian Hero Award in recognition of his decades-long commitment to improving healthcare access for underserved communities in Southwest Virginia. The award was presented by Don Green of the Napoleon Hill Foundation during the Health Wagon’s employee and volunteer appreciation event at the Smiddy Clinic in Wise, Va (pictured above).
“We wanted to honor Dr. Smiddy for his extraordinary leadership and service to the people of Central Appalachia,” said Dr. Teresa Tyson, President & CEO of The Health Wagon. “His dedication has made a lasting impact on the lives of so many.”
A retired pulmonologist and U.S. Navy veteran, Dr. Smiddy has dedicated over 50 years to providing healthcare in Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Kentucky. He has been instrumental in bringing portable X-ray services to rural areas, sometimes performing X-rays from the back of his pickup truck during natural disasters.
In addition to his medical career, Dr. Smiddy is known for his bluegrass music talents, inspired by his father, Dr. Joseph C. “Papa Joe” Smiddy. He has played at The Carter Fold for years and recently performed at a November 2024 benefit concert for The Health Wagon to support Hurricane Helene survivors in Damascus.
Dr. Smiddy serves as Vice President of Appalachian Miles for Smiles and is a Clinical Professor at both Lincoln Memorial University’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine and ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine. He holds undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Virginia and completed his fellowship in pulmonary disease at the University of Kansas.
