Holy Cross Hospital

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOLYCROSS.COM

Staff Report

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Holy Cross Hospital’s faith community nurses, in partnership with Christ Church volunteers and nurses from FAU’s Christine Lynn College of Nursing, recently provided 181 homeless individuals with free foot care, new shoes and socks and a hot meal during the second annual “All About Feet” in Pompano Beach.

“The homeless face so many challenges, and foot care often falls to the bottom of the list when faced with hunger, lack of shelter and other more pressing healthcare issues,” said Dr. Christopher Pappas, a podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon with the Holy Cross Medical Group. “But the health of our feet can have a major impact on our overall health, and no one should have to live with foot care foot pain.”

Among those who were served during All About Feet were veterans, a young mom-to-be, a nine-year-old and a 74-year-old, the youngest and oldest respectfully.

Wearing shoes that don’t fit properly or are worn out, or going barefoot, can exacerbate foot problems in the homeless population. Other challenges include not having the proper tools for nail trimmings or the resources to regularly keep feet clean. Foot care is especially important for diabetics, who are at increased risk of amputation due to poor circulation and nerve damage.

Some of the conditions treated at All About Feet were bunions, corns, calluses, cellulitis (bacterial skin infection), edema (swelling), foot ulcers, fungal infections including athlete’s foot, ingrown toenails, sores, ringworm and broken toes. Several individuals will receive follow-up care from Dr. Pappas in his office.

New socks and shoes were donated by community volunteers and food was provided by Christ Church. To help support the homeless, contact Valerie Fox in the community outreach department of Holy Cross Hospital at Valerie.Fox@holy-cross.com.

A member of Trinity Health, Holy Cross Hospital is a full-service, non-profit, Catholic, teaching hospital operating in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy.

In 2016, U.S. News and World Report named Holy Cross Hospital among the top three hospitals in South Florida and one of only 63 in the nation to achieve “high performing” in all nine medical conditions surveyed.

Through strategic collaborations and a commitment to being a person-centered, transforming, healing presence, the 557-bed hospital offers progressive in-patient, outpatient and community outreach services and clinical research trials to serve as the community’s trusted health partner for life.

To learn more about Holy Cross Hospital, visit holy-cross.com. Connect @holycrossfl.