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

Dr. Joseph Smiddy, MD Honored on Veterans Day for Military Service

The Health Wagon is proud to celebrate Dr. Joseph Smiddy, MD, for his remarkable contributions both as a veteran and as a healthcare leader. Recognized on local news this Veterans Day, Dr. Smiddy was honored for his service in the U.S. Navy from 1971 to 1973. Dr. Smiddy, a retired

Carter Family Fold Benefit Concert for Hurricane Relief

An incredible benefit concert hosted by the Carter Family Fold was dedicated to supporting flood relief efforts in our community! Date: Saturday, November 2nd Time: 7:30pm – 10pm Location: Carter Family Fold (3449 A P Carter Hwy, Hiltons, VA 24258)We had an unforgettable evening featuring the amazing Dr. Smiddy &

Appalachian Strong: Hurricane Helene Response

(Photograph above taken by Ivy Sheppard) – “Stranded residents in Damascus get medical care from Health Wagon” (RadioIQ) In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the Health Wagon has been on the front lines, providing critical healthcare and support to the Appalachian community. Deployed to Damascus and Haysi Our mobile vans,

Health Wagon Celebrates Successful 4th Annual Davey’s Back-to-School Shuffle

The Health Wagon is thrilled to announce the outstanding success of the 4th Annual Davey’s Back-to-School Shuffle, held on Aug. 1st at the Shelcy Mullins Sr. Fairgrounds. This year’s event brought the community together for a joyful day, helping over 500 families prepare for the upcoming school year.

St. Mary’s Faith Pharmacy Opening Considered a Huge Success

The region’s first free and charitable pharmacy, St. Mary’s Faith Pharmacy, opened with a special blessing on July 18, 2024, by Father Timothy Drake. A trio of beloved Catholic sisters who were instrumental in providing health care to Southwest Virginians since 1980 returned for the event as well.

M7 Health Days Take Free Health Care to Lee County

The Health Wagon hosted M7 Health Days September 5 and 6 in Lee County. A variety of free health care services were available. Our team of professionals provided vision screenings, eyeglasses, pulmonology evaluations, and chest X-rays.

Ribbon-Cutting Opens Charitable Pharmacy to the Public

The region’s first free and charitable pharmacy, St. Mary’s Faith Pharmacy, opened Thursday, July 18, 2024, with a ribbon cutting event. The pharmacy serves the entire Southwest Virginia region and provides free (or minimal charge) pharmaceutical services to thousands across the Appalachian region.

M7 Health Expedition Provides 1,823 Services to Patients in Need

The Move Mountains Medical Mission (M7) event (formerly RAM Wise Expedition), held July 19-20, 2024, at UVA Wise David J. Prior Convocation Center provided a preliminary estimate of over $370,000 in free care to uninsured and underinsured individuals in the Southwest Virginia region.

“Give Kids a Smile” Event Delivers Critical Pediatric Dental Care

The Health Wagon hosted a successful “Give Kids a Smile” outreach event on March 25-26, 2024, dedicated to providing much-needed dental care to pediatric patients in the rural communities of Southwest Virginia, supported by the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry.
photo of Dr. Teresa Tyson, FNP-BC and Dr. Paula Hill-Collins, FNP-BC in blue scrubs

Podcast features Health Wagon leadership

The Health Wagon’s leaders, Dr. Teresa Tyson, president and CEO, and Dr. Paula Hill-Collins, clinical director, were interviewed recently on The Slate’s podcast, “Death, Sex, & Money.” Host Anna Sale talked in-depth with Dr. Tyson, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, FAANP, and Dr. Hill-Collins, DNP, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FAANP, about their backgrounds and

Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic 25 Years in Wise

The Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic will return for a 25th year in Wise. The date and time of the clinic is July 19th and 20th from 7am to 5pm. The location of the event will be the UVA Convocation Center. Please Click Here for more information on the event.

M7 2024

Our M7 event is just around the corner. The dates for the event will be July 19th and 20th at the UVA Convocation Center. Please Click Here for more information.

Nashville theatre shows screening of “If Dreams Were Lightning”

“If Dreams Were Lightning: Rural Healthcare Crisis,” a film covering the rapid closure of hospitals in Appalachia, was screened at Nashville’s Belcourt Theatre on March 7. Rural hospitals around America are closing at alarming rates, leaving communities without care. In this short documentary, Oscar- and Emmy-nominated director Ramin Bahrani visits

Free health care outreach set for March 27-28

The Health Wagon will be offering free screenings and medical, vision, and dental services at its Move Mountains Medical Mission outreach event in both Wise and Clintwood, Va. March 27, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Health Wagon office in Wise March 28, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at

Short Film Highlights the Health Wagon

When filmmaker Ramin Bahrani came across an article spotlighting the challenges faced by the Health Wagon, he was spurred to investigate the state of health care in Southwest Virginia. His goal was to film a short documentary exploring the rural health care crisis in the U.S. through the eyes of