BALTIMORE — Carlose Debose knows far too many people with diabetes and high blood pressure, including a brother who died from a stroke.
"I think we were ignorant to the fact that it could happen. We didn’t know about diabetes or a heart attack. We think we can just rip and run the streets and everything gone be alright,” said Debose.
Debose helps run the Ruth M. Kirk Recreation and Learning Center. He and a friend turned an old building into an after school program. Over the past decade, it has grown into a community hub for fresh food, school supplies and now a health clinic.
"Over the years you have people that feel like, I don't know about those guys. But over time things change. They believe in us. They believe we're going to make something happen for them,” said Debose.
Dr. Wayman Cheatham who helps teach at the center, had an idea to bring health services directly to the people. He conducted research for the Diabetes Prevention Program.
"With just lifestyle changes, changing the way people ate, changing the way they live their lives, we can prevent diabetes in 58 percent of people that follow that program," said Dr. Cheatham, an endocrinologist and diabetes specialist.
It’s the definition of it takes a village. A team of doctors volunteers their time to offer screenings for diabetes and heart disease.
"It's really a horrible disease. I tell people in many ways that diabetes is worse than cancer. It's the number one cause of blindness, number one cause of amputations, number one cause of kidney failure," said Dr. Theodore Watkins.
According to the CDC, more than 38 million Americans have diabetes, 1 in 5 don't know they have it.
"Know that the health services are very limited here. What people don't understand is we got this hospital right over here, the University of Maryland. We have Hopkins a certain distance away. Why don't people go over there? Well the transportation issues are very substantial,” said Dr. Williiam Ellis.
Certified Health Coach Tyrone Qualls says these communities are not only dealing with food deserts but 'food swamps'.
"A food swamp is McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken. All the fast food entities in one place and that's all people have to eat," said Qualls.
The center's goal is to make the neighborhood healthier in all areas of life. It's a commitment that the center's founder, Arthur Kirk, made when he named it after his mom, the late delegate ruth kirk who served West Baltimore for over 25 years.
" First my mom passed then his mom passed. Then he had the idea to better himself. Once we realized that the community needs us, what we took out of the community, we needed to give back to the community.
The next health clinic at the Ruth M. Kirk Recreation and Learning Center will be held this Saturday from 12 to 2p.m.