Rush Copley’s Fox Valley Heart Fund and VNA Health Care have collaborated for the past seven years to provide the Aurora Community Heart Clinic for uninsured and Medicaid patients in the Aurora area. In that time, 183 patients have been treated – 86% of whom were uninsured. Many of these patients did not have access to affordable follow-up care.
In 2015, the Step by Step to Wellness program was launched – an evidence-based program that supports behavior change using the 7-Self-Care Behaviors framework that focus on healthy eating, being active, monitoring, taking medication, problem solving, reducing risks and healthy coping. Many participants are former heart clinic patients and now engaged in lasting, healthy lifestyle changes. The Dunham Fund supports the wellness program with a $5,000 grant.