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Stay Up to Date on What’s Happening with the Health Wagon

One Year Later: The Health Wagon Reflects on Hurricane Helene, Southwest Va. Flooding
“In a time when it felt like we had lost everything, The Health Wagon gave us something back: hope. I will never forget what they did for our community.”- Sheilah, Damascus, Va. Flood Survivor (Wise, Va.) – When Hurricane Helene ravaged much of the Southeast including the town of Damascus,

Community Care Day: Free Vision Checks + Giveaway
Community Care Day: FREE Giveaway!Friday, September 12th – Ridgeview High School, Clintwood, VA Join our team for a full day of free care and community support! We’ll provide regular Health Wagon services alongside UPIKE’s ocular screenings 👀 and a special giveaway of assorted items including hygiene kits, home goods, pillows,

Health Wagon Explores Electric Vehicle Innovation for Mobile Care
As part of our mission to bring healthcare to the most medically underserved regions of Central Appalachia, The Health Wagon is constantly exploring new ways to improve access, reduce costs, and protect the environment our patients call home. With mobile medical units traveling thousands of miles each year across the

UBCF Mattress Giveaway in Virginia for Breast Cancer Patients and Survivors – Date TBD
United Breast Cancer Foundation (UBCF) is hosting a free mattress distribution event in Virginia (Southwest region), to support breast cancer patients and survivors. This charitable event is part of UBCF’s ongoing goal to provide tangible, life-improving resources to breast cancer patients and survivors nationwide. To see if you qualify click

The Health Wagon Mourns the Passing of Longtime Friend and EMS Leader, Tommy Dingus
The Health Wagon Mourns the Passing of Longtime Friend and EMS Leader, Tommy Dingus (Wise, Va.) – The Health Wagon is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Tommy Dingus, age 66, a beloved paramedic, educator, and one of the organization’s longest-standing supporters. Tommy’s service to the Health Wagon began

Lee County Healthy Day – Sept 18 & 29, 2025
Free Medical: Health Wagon Lee County Healthy Days September 18-19 (Wise, Va.)- The Health Wagon is hosting M7 Healthy Days September 18 and 19 in Lee County. A variety of free healthcare services will be available. Our team of professionals, including Dr. Joe Smiddy and his son (also) Dr. Joe

AMLER Grant Backs Health Wagon Veterinary Clinic in Wise County
Health Wagon to Add Veterinary Clinic/Outreach Center in Wise County with Support from AMLER Grant “We are in desperate need of this,” – Beverly Grigsby, Director of Animal Control, Wise County Animal Shelter (Wise, Va.) — The Health Wagon is delighted to announce the first phase in the creation of

Interview with 92.9 from July 2025 M7 event.

Lee County Healthy Day 2025
We will have our Lee County Health Day on September 18th and 19th located at Leeman Field. Registration will begin at 8:30am both days. To see more information click here!

From Wise County to the Smithsonian: The First FAA-Approved Drone Delivery
We’re honored to be mentioned by Congressman Morgan Griffith in his recent newsletter, recognizing the historic first FAA-approved drone delivery in the U.S., which took place right here in Wise County in 2015. That groundbreaking mission—made possible with a number of incredible partners—delivered medical supplies to the Remote Area Medical

Sister Bernie Kenny Posthumously Awarded the Healthcare Heroes Award
We gathered for a deeply moving luncheon and awards ceremony hosted by The Business Journal of Tri-Cities TN/VA, where Sister Bernadette “Bernie” Kenny, MSN, FNP, was honored posthumously with the Healthcare Heroes Award. Though we lost Sister Bernie in December, her spirit echoes in every clinic, every mobile unit, and

Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson, DNP: Transforming Rural Healthcare Through Mobile Clinics
In the heart of Virginia’s Central Appalachian Mountains, where chronic illness and poverty are widespread, Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson, DNP has spent the past thirty plus years making healthcare more accessible. As the CEO of the Health Wagon, a nationally recognized nonprofit that delivers free healthcare to remote communities

Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson, DNP: Creating Diagnostic Access with Innovative Delivery Systems
In the hills of Central Appalachia, where winding roads separate patients from essential care and economic hardship often means going without, Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson, DNP has spent more than 30 plus years meeting people where they are and bringing healthcare with her. As a doctoral-prepared family nurse practitioner and

Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson: How to Train Future Rural Healthcare Leaders
Rural healthcare faces serious leadership challenges, but practical solutions exist when communities take control of their own medical destiny. Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson has spent over 30 years proving this principle works in practice. As President and CEO of the Health Wagon, she’s developed a unique approach to building healthcare

How to Build a Sustainable Safety-Net Health System
Rural healthcare faces challenges that urban medical systems rarely encounter. Geographic isolation, limited resources, and economic barriers create gaps that traditional healthcare models struggle to bridge. Dr. Teresa Owens Tyson has dedicated over three decades to solving these problems through innovative approaches. For more of this story click here