Compassion of Father Son Duo relieves patients’ pain
“To see a patient go home with a smile on their face, despite all the stress in their life, that’s really special,” says Henry Horita, a high school intern, about his experience at the WFC.
Henry’s passion to help others and interest in medicine inspired him to join his father, a volunteer physician, at WFC. Henry’s first patient presentation to his father had a lasting impression on him, as he recalls seeing a woman who came to the clinic unable to walk, and left “joking about going dancing.” with a smile on her face. “I remember my dad guiding her as she took her first painless steps, and from that moment, I understood the difference the clinic makes in people’s lives,” recalls Henry. Dr. Horita, a doctor at Kaiser Permanente, who began volunteering at the clinic 9 years ago also shares similar stories about his time at WFC. “I think it’s more important for me to be a doctor here, where I am needed and can help make a huge difference in people’s lives, than anywhere else,” says Dr. Horita about his drive to volunteer at the clinic. When Dr. Horita saw a patient who was suffering from unbearable shoulder pain, he went the extra mile to treat her. Dr. Horita remembers his patient thanking him for the “milagro,” the miracle, he had made possible. “It was neat to make such a profound difference in someone’s life. Cases such as those make me want to return every Wednesday night,” shares Dr. Horita. It is the dedication and compassion of volunteers such as Dr. Horita and his son that allow WFC to flourish. Henry, a high school sophomore, hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps, becoming a doctor someday.
There are a number of physicians who volunteer with their children at WFC.
