Local non profit receives unexpected shot in the arm

By Kate Newton Schmelyun
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Monarch Landing has donated 50 doses of flu vaccine to the DuPage Community Clinic, a nonprofit organization with offices in Wheaton and Villa Park. The clinic provides free primary, diagnostic, and therapeutic medical and dental intervention to uninsured, low-income DuPage County residents.

Flu season still going strong
“We recently finished our flu shot clinics at Monarch Landing and decided to donate our remaining vaccine to an area organization that needed it,” says Dr. Tom Morris, Monarch Landing’s medical director and fulltime physician.

According to Morris, flu season in the U.S. begins in December and ends in March, so there is still a need to administer the vaccine to those who have not yet received it, particularly children, older adults, and people with compromised immune systems.

Quality health care for everyone
This winter’s fluctuating temperatures have contributed to a particularly rampant flu season. For the DuPage Community Clinic, the donation came at an ideal time. “The DuPage Community Clinic appreciates the donation of the flu vaccine from Monarch Landing. We are now having patients come in at designated times for flu shots,” says Carol McHaley, the clinic’s executive director.

“We are a free clinic, staffed by physicians and nurses who volunteer their time,” McHaley explains. “Many of our patients could not afford to go to the various pharmacies that were offering the shots, so they are very thankful we are now able to offer this service.”