Marshall University medical students and doctors travel to help flood victims in Knott County

HINDMAN, Ky. (WYMT) – From heartburn medication to insulin, Marshall University medical students and Marshall Health doctors from Huntington, West Virginia, came prepared to help the people of Knott County on Saturday.

”There’s so many people from Marshall who are from this area, so as soon as it happened, we were just like, ‘we have to go. We have to be there,’” said Mindy Sharon, a Marshall University medical student.

In partnership with ARH and Mountain Health Network, those with Marshall Health set up a free mobile health clinic in the Hindman and Carrie communities.

”People are needing vaccines and sutures removals and a lot of different medical needs and its awesome that so many people were able to come together to pull together insulin, all these expensive products that were lost and that people have been going without,” said Zachary Davis, Hindman native and resident physician at Marshall Family Medicine.

In addition to helping people physically, those with Marshall Health wanted to offer mental health services as well.

“Even if we don’t do anything for them from a medication standpoint, just being here to have somebody to talk to, a shoulder to cry on, whatever you need, I think, especially in the weeks to come, that’s gonna be something that a lot of people are seeing that is going to be a need.”

And for Davis, being able to help his community in this way is what makes this mission even more special.

“It feels awesome to be able to fill the medical need because that’s why I went to medical school, why I went through residency, to come and help the people of my hometown,” said Davis. “These are the people I love.”

Those with Marshall Health said they plan to come back to the region to continue serving those in need for several weeks and months to come.

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