The Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California is truly a gift. Many of the people I work with— those who are unsheltered or part of the working class, often holding two or three jobs—face childcare, rent, and healthcare as their most significant expenses. Having lived in Oakland for nearly three decades, I had passed this incredible institution without knowing the vital role it plays. The recent expansion, doubling its capacity to serve individuals in need, is a remarkable gift to our community. I am deeply grateful for the impact it will have on my constituents and all who will benefit from these essential services.
CARROLL FIFE, OAKLAND COUNCILMEMBER
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Timothy McInerney, Esq., KM
SECRETARY
Louis M. Meunier, KM
TREASURER
John Hallett, KM
VP OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
L.J. Michael Lambert, KM
Elizabeth Bernard, Esq., DM
Anne Brussok, DM – Ex Officio
John Christian, Esq., KM – Ex Officio
Sara K. Cumbelich, DM
William J. Cumbelich, KM
Dan L. Field, MD, KM
Bridget McInerney Harris, Esq., DM
Marty Karpiel, MPA, FACHE, FHFMA, KM
Charlotte Kiesel, DM
Michael J. Matly, MD, KM
John Rengel, KM – Ex Officio
Hon. Kevin V. Ryan, KM
Mary M. Rudolph, NP, DM
William F. Sheridan, MD, KM
Kathleen C. Toney, NP, DM
Thomas Wallace, MD, KM
Charles V. Wirth, KM
EMPOWERING HEALTH AND ENRICHING LIVES A Message from Our President
ABOUT THE CLINIC Mission, Vision, and Legacy
INTRODUCING
JEFF RITTERMAN, MD Paying It Forward as the Clinic’s New Medical Director
EXPANSION COMPLETE! Clinic Officially Welcomes Patients to Newly Renovated Facility
CARING FOR THE CAREGIVERS IN OUR COMMUNITY
By Anne Brussok, DM, Clinic Manager
2024
17TH ANNUAL CHAMPIONS GALA Celebrating This Year’s Silver Chalice Award Winners
MALTESER INTERNATIONAL Bringing Help and Hope to the People of Gaza
PROVIDER SPOTLIGHT Maria Gamulo-Owen and Her Calling to Expand Mental Health Services
STEPPING UP Clinic Relaunches Free Monthly Podiatry Services for the Unhoused
EMPOWERING HEALTH AND ENRICHING LIVES
A Message from Our President
reopening of our expanded facility within The Cathedral of Christ the Light. After months of careful planning, construction, and perseverance, the Clinic doubled its size—enabling us to serve up to 12,000 patient visits annually. Our patients travel from more than 80 cities in Northern California emphasizing the growing need for access to healthcare among a vulnerable
From left to right: Timothy McInerney, KM, Board President, Sara Cumbelich, DM, Board member, Ken Olsen, KM, President of the Order of Malta Western Association
population – those who work but still struggle to make ends meet. This expansion also enhances patient privacy, extends operating hours, and allows us to offer new specialty services. At our reopening celebration, we were honored to welcome Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, John Muir Health Foundation President Nevin Kessler, Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife, and many of our dedicated supporters to share in the pride and impact of this truly collaborative effort.
In 2024, we hired a new medical director, when we warmly welcomed Dr. Jeff Ritterman following the dedicated tenure of Dr. Susan Fernyak. With a distinguished career in cardiology and a lifelong passion for community health, Dr. Jeff is already bringing his expertise and vision to the Clinic and its operations. His deep commitment to preventative care and chronic disease management is helping us meet the evolving and complex needs of our patients.
Another critical area of growth has been in mental health services. The rising demand for behavioral health support, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, has made this a priority for the Clinic. We are working to expand mental health care access for our patients because addressing both physical and emotional wellbeing is essential to our comprehensive approach to health. We are committed to building a sustainable, compassionate mental health program that meets the growing needs of patients and families.
Beyond the walls of the Clinic, our community partnerships continue to flourish. The reinstatement of our podiatry clinic has been invaluable, providing free foot care to the unhoused population—a vital service that restores mobility, prevents complications, and improves quality of life. The Diabetes Nurse Education program has also remained strong, delivering hundreds of visits to help patients manage their health and prevent long-term complications.
None of this would be possible without the generosity of our donors and benefactors. We are grateful to the hundreds of individual donors who are helping to sustain and expand the Clinic’s work. We also are fortunate to receive continued support from foundations who believe in our mission and enable us to provide totally free healthcare to those in need.
As we look ahead, the mission of the Order continues to be our north star. The need for accessible, high-quality healthcare continues to grow, and with the support of our dedicated community, we will rise to meet the challenge. From exploring a potential second Clinic location, to enhancing specialty services, and broadening our outreach to inform and help even more patients, we are committed to ensuring that no one goes without the care they deserve.
Thank you for being a part of this journey. Whether as a volunteer, donor, or advocate, your support is a vital part of the Clinic’s success, and a major force for good.
With deepest gratitude,
Timothy
L. McInerney, KM
ABOUT THE CLINIC
Mission, Vision, and Legacy
PATIENT DEMOGRAPHICS
The Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California is a free nonprofit healthcare clinic located in downtown Oakland, adjacent to The Cathedral of Christ the Light. Staffed by an all-volunteer team of physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, the Clinic provides comprehensive preventative and specialty medical care to more than 5,000 uninsured and underserved patients a year. As part of our commitment to providing care to those in need, all medical services and treatments are provided at absolutely no cost to patients.
This past year, our Clinic witnessed a significant surge in employed yet uninsured patients, underscoring the critical need for affordable and accessible healthcare. These patients are often one medical crisis away from serious financial hardships and rely on the Clinic’s free services to avoid housing insecurity.
While our doors were temporarily closed for construction last year, our commitment to providing essential healthcare remained unwavering. Through telehealth services, community programs, and strategic partnerships, we ensured patients continued to have access to care and treatment. Despite the closure, we served nearly 4,000 patients— highlighting the growing need for accessible healthcare in our community.
Although the Clinic is located in Oakland, our impact reaches communities throughout Northern California. Our services now extend to patients hailing from more than 80 cities in the Bay Area and beyond, reaching as far as Sacramento, Santa Clara, and Sonoma counties.
OUR STORY
The Clinic was first envisioned in 2005 by the former Bishop of Oakland, Allen Vigneron, and the President of the Western Association of the Order of Malta, Richard Madden. Rising from the Order of Malta’s commitment to practice charity to the sick and the poor, both men saw the opportunity to positively impact the health and well-being of the uninsured and the vulnerable of the Greater Bay Area. In 2008, several devoted Knights and Dames of the Order, under the leadership of the first President of the Clinic, William McInerney, partnered with the Western Association and the Diocese of Oakland to create the very successful Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California.
OUR MISSION
Uphold human dignity and care for people in need.
OUR MODEL
Our team is composed of more than 65 volunteer physicians, nurses and support staff, all committed to delivering high-quality care to those who need it most. Our streamlined operations and proven model allow us to provide medical care at $150 per patient visit on average, in contrast with a $2,715 visit to an emergency room physician.
OUR LEGACY
The Order of Malta’s story began more than 900 years ago in 1048 A.D., when a group of hospitaller monks of the Order of St. John were asked to manage and staff a hospital in Jerusalem, caring for pilgrims and travelers of various faiths. That group of monks acted accordingly, and thereby founded the organization presently known as the Order of Malta, a lay religious order of the Catholic Church which ministers to the sick and the poor of many nations.
Today, we are honored to carry on the Order of Malta’s legacy of service by caring for the Bay Area’s uninsured and underrepresented communities. This includes undocumented families who are wary of seeking medical attention at physician offices or hospitals, as well as patients who do not visit a doctor regularly or have received little to no medical attention in recent years. For these individuals, our Clinic is their only source of safe medical care, in an environment of trust and compassion.
BY THE NUMBERS
Celebrated
55,000
6,500
patient visits and telehealth appointments since the Clinic opened
Provided Logged more than
250
volunteer hours since the Clinic opened mammogram screenings since the program launched
100,000
Conducted
504
patient visits through the Diabetes Nurse Education program over the past two years
Reinstated the podiatry clinic serving more than patients in two months
40
JEFF RITTERMAN, MD INTRODUCING
From left to right: Alize Koolen, Podiatric Medical Student, Renee Woo, DPM, Jeffrey Ritterman, MD, and Diana Del Rosario, MA
When Dr. Jeff Ritterman retired as Chief of Cardiology and Assistant Chief of the Department of Medicine at Kaiser Permanente’s Richmond Medical Center, little did he expect that his involvement in the hospital’s retired physicians’ network would lead him to the Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California several years later.
But as fate would have it, Dr. Jeff was just the person the Clinic needed when Dr. Susan Fernyak announced she was stepping down as Medical Director last Autumn after skillfully overseeing the Clinic’s recent expansion and telehealth patient services program. Hearing about the Clinic from several Kaiser colleagues and learning more in a subsequent conversation and tour with Clinic Manager (and fellow Point Richmond neighbor) Anne Brussok, DM, Dr. Jeff knew it was the right place, at the right time, to once again bring his medical expertise and passion for community health to serving the greater good.
“Dr. Susan did a terrific job, and I am in awe at what she and the Clinic team have accomplished,” he says. “I am here to help but also to learn. There is nothing that needs ‘fixing’ here, and I see incredible opportunities to continue to expand what we do and increase the number of patients we can serve.”
Dr. Jeff’s distinguished career is framed by undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin, medical school at Temple University, and specialized training at the Medical College of Pennsylvania and University of Washington. While with Kaiser, he oversaw the Richmond campus’s cardiology division responsible for the care of 75,000 patients. “Diabetes, hypertension, and obesity were common among my patients there, and they are the most frequent conditions we see here at the Clinic,” he notes. “My goal is to get to these ailments before they become chronic.”
When he left Kaiser, Dr. Jeff’s lifelong passion for social activism led him to run for a seat on the Richmond City Council. Over four years, he led the city’s successful establishment of its anti-tobacco ordinances as models for the state and advocated for one of the nation’s first soda taxes – an effort that was emulated by public officials in Berkeley, San Francisco, Mexico City, and elsewhere to generate public funding for childhood health and nutrition programs.
In what he calls the “fabric of his life,” he has always been committed to service both locally and abroad,
Giving back is critical to who I am, and I view my work here as my next chapter in paying it forward. I’m looking forward to the future and how we as the Clinic family can develop this wonderful place into the best, truly free medical clinic of its kind, anywhere.
volunteering his time and sharing his expertise with medical relief agencies in Central America and across Southern Africa. “Bringing medical supplies and care to refugees around the world is something that has always motivated me,” he says, “and I again have the privilege of working with many international patients and their families here at the Clinic.”
Dr. Jeff is a long-time board member of the Bay Area chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility and currently sits on the Community Advisory Council for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. He has been honored by several organizations for both his clinical excellence and community service.
With more than half of his time at the Order of Malta Clinic devoted to direct, hands-on patient care, Dr. Jeff sees an incredible opportunity to help more of the Bay Area’s uninsured and under-insured populations. “I’m a pretty good doctor, a pretty good social activist, and a really great grandpa to my five grandkids,” he laughs. “Giving back is critical to who I am, and I view my work here as my next chapter in paying it forward. I’m looking forward to the future and how we as the Clinic family can develop this wonderful place into the best, truly free medical clinic of its kind, anywhere.”
EXPANSION COMPLETE!
Clinic Officially Welcomes Patients to Newly Renovated Facility
On June 26, the Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California celebrated the grand reopening of its newly expanded facility, marking a transformative milestone in its mission to serve uninsured and underserved individuals. This achievement reflects years of dedication, careful planning, and steadfast support from donors, volunteers, and community partners.
The celebration featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a press event that garnered significant local media attention from both English and Spanish outlets. Attendees heard inspiring remarks from a distinguished lineup of speakers, including Bishop Michael C. Barber,SJ, Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife, Nevin Kessler, President of John Muir Health Foundation, and Tim McInerney, Clinic Board President. Together, they highlighted the Clinic’s expanded capacity and the vital role it plays in addressing the region’s healthcare needs.
During the ceremony, the Clinic also received a commendation from the City of Oakland in recognition of 16 years of service to the sick and poor in Northern California. Highlighting the Clinic’s long-standing impact and commitment to providing healthcare for uninsured and underserved individuals.
The Clinic’s new space now accommodates up to 12,000 patient visits annually—more than double the previous capacity and includes enhanced privacy for patients, the ability to provide new specialty services, extended evening hours two days a week, and Saturday appointments to better serve working patients.
Beyond the recent physical expansion, the Clinic is growing its impact in other ways. Telemedicine services, monthly podiatry clinics, mobile mammography services, and community partnerships provide additional muchneeded-care to patients in our community. Plans are also currently underway for a potential second clinic location in the Bay Area, which will provide more convenient access for patients and extend the Clinic’s reach even further.
This new beginning is more than an expansion. It’s a renewed commitment to meeting the evolving healthcare needs of our community. As we continue to grow and increase our capacity, we reaffirm our mission to provide compassionate, life-changing care to those who need it most. Together, we’re building a healthier, more equitable future—one patient at a time.
CARING FOR THE CAREGIVERS IN OUR COMMUNITY
By Anne Brussok, DM, Clinic Manager
As Clinic Manager, every day I find myself moved by the deep religious faith and gratitude of our patients. Mrs. Jacinto and Mrs. Concepcion are two such inspirations. Hard-working caregivers originally from the Philippines and without health insurance, they are among the many healthcare providers who rely on the Clinic for their own primary and specialty care services.
Mrs. Jacinto and Mrs. Concepcion are members of the large community of Filipinos who work in local boardand-care facilities serving the elderly and disabled. Through both my personal experience with in-home caregiving (a compassionate Filipino nurse helped me care for my mother in the last days of her life) and conversations with Clinic patients like them, these dedicated professionals often live for long periods with those they care for, becoming extended members of their families while earning barely minimum wage. As a result, the caregivers we see are generally uninsured and come to the Clinic for high-quality treatment, medications, and other vital healthcare support.
One afternoon, in advance of her appointment at our Sutter Health Mobile Mammography Clinic, I asked Mrs. Jacinto if she was going to Mass at The Cathedral of Christ the Light, knowing she attends services anytime she comes in for an appointment. Mrs. Jacinto said of course, and that she was saying the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary today. I gently said, “But today is Thursday, it’s the
Luminous Mysteries.” Maybe a touch of unintentional self-righteousness on my part, but Mrs. Jacinto quickly replied, “It doesn’t matter what day it is, I say the Rosary always and continuously.” She softly continued, “You know when I had COVID-19, I was so scared. We had to stay in a motel for two weeks and all I could do was walk around my room. Once a day, they would bring us all our food and a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) from the board-and-care home would check in on us. We couldn’t leave. All I could do was walk around my room repeating the Rosary.”
As I listened to Mrs. Jacinto that afternoon, words failed me as I tried to picture what it must have been like for her and her fellow caregivers during the pandemic. Words like quarantine, even imprisonment, came to mind. Caregivers working or living in small-group board-and-care homes were confined when anyone they worked with or in their care was diagnosed or suspected of having the coronavirus. These actions were taken to protect those who live in these residential facilities and who continued to receive dedicated around-theclock care by individuals like Mrs. Jacinto and Mrs. Concepcion throughout the pandemic.
Mrs. Concepcion used to spend her one day off each week with her patient’s family, who would bring her to the Clinic for appointments and to pick up her medication. When she lost this job during the pandemic, the Clinic provided her with free life-saving insulin while working with her to secure patient-assistance programs that would continue to supply the expensive diabetes medication she needs.
As Mrs. Jacinto and Mrs. Concepcion explain, part of being Filipino is to treat everyone like family. They and the many other caregivers I’ve met at the Clinic epitomize the Tagalog word “Pakikisama,” the Filipino value that means to get along, for the good of others and the community. It is a fundamental aspect of Filipino culture and a tenet that guides all their relationships. As they note, one never complains. Mrs. Jacinto and Mrs. Concepcion place their trust in Mary and Jesus in the ordinary rhythm of their lives, caring for their patients and others first, often at their own expense. They are an example for us all.
Who cares for the caregivers? We do, the Clinic does–with compassion, dignity, and honor.
The Order of Malta Clinic is dedicated to healing and helping the Bay Area’s uninsured communities, within an atmosphere of trust,
Mrs. Concepcion is one of many hard-working caregivers who rely on the Clinic for their healthcare and medications.
2024 GIVING REPORT
The Order of Malta Clinic is funded entirely through private donations, grants, and fundraising events - a truly “free” medical clinic. Patients are not billed for services, labs, or tests and the Clinic does not receive reimbursement from private insurance or government programs.
2024 FUNDRAISING BREAKDOWN FOR CLINIC OPERATIONS
CLINIC OPERATING EXPENSES
$946,823 $1,200,000 $1,300,000
The generosity of our donors and foundation partners is nothing short of remarkable. Their contributions not only fuel our mission but directly impact the lives of those we serve, allowing us to expand our reach and provide critical healthcare to those in need. It is because of their unwavering support that we can continue this vital work and bring hope and healing to our community.
KATHLEEN C. TONEY, NP, DM, BOARD MEMBER
From left to right: Samuel Dong, MD, Lana Salve, MA
IN-KIND SUPPORT
We thank our generous partners for providing discounted services, medications, and support for many patients in need. Their support allows the Clinic to deliver life-changing care for free.
• Barnett Medical Services
• Carol Ann Read Breast Health Center
• Inview Imaging
• iRhythm Technologies
• John Muir Health
• Lions Eye Foundation of California-Nevada, Inc.
• Operation Access
• Quest Diagnostics
• Stanford Health Care Resource Hub
• Sutter Health Alta Bates Medical Center
• Tebra
PARTNERS IN SERVICE
Thanks to long-standing partnerships with some of the most renowned medical institutions and universities, the Clinic is able to source and retain talented volunteers and take advantage of the latest in medical advances through consultations and patient education materials.
• Cleveland Clinic
• Mayo Clinic
• Samuel Merritt University
• University of Cincinnati
• Stanford Health
• University of California, San Francisco
• University of San Francisco
Donor Spotlight
KALMANOVITZ FOUNDATION
The Kalmanovitz Foundation generously pledged $1 million over five years to cover the costs for nursing staff, as the Clinic grows in size and services offered.
THE WAYNE AND GLADYS VALLEY FOUNDATION
The Valley Foundation donated $250,000 towards construction costs for the Clinic expansion project.
ORDER OF MALTA WESTERN ASSOCIATION
The Order of Malta Western Association generously donated $155,000 to support the Clinic’s ongoing operational costs.
HOFMANN FAMILY FOUNDATION
To support Clinic operations, the Hofmann Family Foundation generously donated $100,000 at the 2024 Gala.
ALBERT D. SEENO JR. AND SANDRA L. SEENO
Albert D. Seeno Jr. and Sandra L. Seeno graciously donated $60,000 to support the Clinic’s operational expenses.
ROBERT STEWART ODELL AND HELEN PFEIFFER ODELL FUND
The Odell Foundation donated $50,000 to support the Clinic’s ongoing operational needs and costs.
JOHN MUIR HEALTH
John Muir Health donated $40,000 to support the Clinic’s efforts to combat diabetes and mental health issues.
ST. AUGUSTINE FOUNDATION
The St. Augustine Foundation donated $25,000 to support the Clinic’s ongoing operational needs.
17TH ANNUAL CHAMPIONS GALA
Celebrating This Year’s Silver Chalice Award Winners
Mark your calendars for the Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California’s most anticipated donor event of the year—the annual Champions Gala! This year, we are honored to host the prestigious Silver Chalice Awards Dinner on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco.
Join us for an unforgettable evening as we celebrate the Clinic’s continued impact and recognize two remarkable individuals whose generosity and leadership have strengthened our mission.
Enjoy an elegant night of cocktails, dinner, and exciting auction opportunities, all in support of the Clinic’s mission to provide compassionate, quality care to the uninsured.
Reserve your spot today. For tickets, tables, and sponsorship details, visit orderofmaltaclinic.com/gala.
MALTESER INTERNATIONAL: Bringing Help and Hope to the People of Gaza
As Secretary General of Malteser International (MI), Clemens Graf von Mirbach-Harff has witnessed firsthand the suffering caused by conflict and unrest in the Middle East, including overseeing the Order of Malta’s humanitarian relief work in war-torn Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. But nothing prepared him for the damage and devastation in Gaza wrought by the Israel-Hamas War, an ever-worsening crisis that has displaced more than 2 million Palestinians, killed nearly 50,000 people, and left millions of civilians on the brink of starvation and lifethreatening disease.
“In the first days after the October 7, 2023 attacks, Pierbattista Cardinal Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, asked the Order of Malta to help him provide humanitarian assistance in Gaza,” Clemens explains. “From the beginning, the situation has been incredibly complicated and the risk to aid workers is immense. However, our faith-driven partnership has proven to be the glue between Christian, Muslim, and Jewish denominations and religious beliefs that has enabled us to provide life-saving food and medical aid to Gaza’s suffering population.”
In collaboration with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and coordination with the Order of Malta, Malteser International has supported the delivery of more than 300 tons of fresh and non-perishable food and hygiene supplies to a new distribution Center established near the Patriarchate’s compound in northern Gaza. As of
February 2025, more than 40,000 Gazans have benefited from the Order’s work in the region. Clemens and his Jerusalem-based team are now mobilizing efforts to provide critical medical care in the Gaza Strip as well.
“There are three key ingredients that enable us to do God’s work in Gaza and around the world,” Clemens says. “The first is strong faith in the Holy Family and a belief in good over evil; the second is trust in our partners; and the third is love and hope for the people who are suffering. We are a candle in the dark, bringing daylight where there often isn’t any,” he adds. “Cynicism is our biggest enemy. Our faith and love keep the flame burning.”
HOW TO HELP
The humanitarian crisis and political situation in Gaza is changing by the day. Malteser International’s ongoing emergency relief efforts in Gaza depend on the generosity of donors from around the world. Every $1 contributed provides $10 in life-saving aid. To learn more about MI’s work and how to help, please visit www.orderofmaltarelief.org.
It is God's will and our privilege to provide aid to the suffering people of Gaza. These days are filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension as we pray for a permanent end to the hostilities and hope for humanitarian relief, and spiritual healing for all those affected. We are grateful for our collaboration with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which enables us to provide this aid.
A JERUSALEM-BASED AID WORKER ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE AID RELIEF MISSION
“We aspire to a world where all individuals – particularly those in need and those who are displaced –live a life of health and dignity.”
Malteser International was founded in Germany in 1956 as the official relief organization for the Sovereign Order of Malta to further its mission to serve the poor and the sick. MI’s mission is to improve the health and living conditions of suffering and displaced people worldwide, providing aid to people in need in more than 35 countries regardless of gender, political belief, origin, or faith. Christian values and the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence form the basis of MI’s work, which is made possible by a global network of local, national and international partner organizations, donors, and volunteers.
IN GAZA
PROVIDER SPOTLIGHT:
Maria Gamulo-Owen and Her Calling to Expand Mental Health Services
In the 13 years Maria Gamulo-Owen, FNP has worked at the Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California, she has witnessed first-hand the dramatic increase in the number of patients suffering from severe mental health challenges. With recent data showing that one in six adults in California face mental health issues, the Clinic team is on the front lines of the Bay Area’s continuing behavioral health care crisis, a public health emergency exacerbated by a lack of available providers, rising demand for services, and systemic barriers to care.
The Clinic is fortunate to have the expertise of licensed clinical social worker Lynn Loar, LCSW and licensed marriage and family therapist Rosario Kusnir, LMFT to support patients needing mental health treatment, but capacity constraints and access to trained providers have to date limited the Clinic’s on-site services. Despite a robust referral program and committed staff and volunteers, the need for mental health treatment and services has continued to grow.
As a trained registered nurse practitioner, Maria has long understood the importance of addressing both the seen
and hidden medical issues as part of a patient’s broader picture of health. But alarmed by the lingering societal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the number of Clinic patients she was seeing in crisis, she was inspired to do more.
In 2023, she took a leave of absence from the Clinic and enrolled in the post-masters Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program at UCSF, earning her PMHNP board certification last October. She had previously expanded the health ministry at her local Livermore parish to include mental health awareness and education and completed mental health ministry training through the San Jose Diocese. These opportunities reinforced the importance of nurturing patients’ spiritual, emotional, and medical well-being while working to decrease the shame and stigma surrounding mental health disorders.
“We must listen without judgment,” she says, “to show compassion that patients are not alone on their journey.”
In fact, one of her most important nursing interventions has always been a box of tissues. “My box of Kleenex was my way of saying to patients that it’s okay to be with
your thoughts,” she explains. “Silence is a big part of my approach to care, and I always try to provide a safe space where patients are helped by just having someone there to listen.”
Maria explains that many Clinic patients have suffered deep emotional trauma, including challenging intergenerational and cultural issues. “And a large percentage of patients are diabetic – which often leads to depression, anxiety, and substance abuse,” she adds. “Behavioral health is a new and important area for the Clinic, and they are taking the time to establish a compassionate program that truly meets the needs of patients and their families. With prayer, perseverance, and the right resources and processes in place, behavioral health represents the next level in the Clinic’s holistic approach to a patient’s health - physical, emotional, and spiritual. It is my calling to do all I can to help.”
Partner Spotlight: Operation Access
When a patient requires outpatient specialty medical procedures or surgery not available at the Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California, the team is able to turn to the resources provided by Operation Access. This impactful Northern California nonprofit – whose allvolunteer network encompasses more than 1,000 medical professionals throughout the state – matches Clinic patients in need with providers who want to help. In what Maria Gamulo-Owen describes as “a true work of mercy,” Operation Access volunteers deliver the life-changing medical care that Clinic patients can’t get anywhere else.
Serving uninsured and underserved patients in partnership with more than 86 hospitals and ambulatory care centers from the Oregon border to the Central Valley, Operation Access provides same-day outpatient surgical procedures and diagnostic services completely free of charge.
OPERATION ACCESS BY THE NUMBERS
6,200+ total donated hours of service per year
$20M+ in donated medical services annually
1,000+ surgical and diagnostic procedures each year
STEPPING UP Clinic Relaunches
Last year, the Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California, in partnership with St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County, relaunched the podiatry clinic thanks to a generous grant from the John Muir Health Foundation. This essential program, which had been on hiatus, resumed with a renewed commitment to serving those experiencing homelessness in Oakland by addressing an often-overlooked aspect of health: foot care.
The need for accessible podiatry care among the unhoused population is profound. Conditions such as diabetes, poor circulation, and chronic neglect can lead to debilitating pain, infections, and reduced mobility. Recognizing this, the Clinic worked tirelessly to reestablish its monthly podiatry services.
Two podiatry clinics were hosted at St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County in October and December of last year, where more than 40 patients received routine treatments and specialized care for chronic conditions that affect mobility and overall health. These efforts were made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers, including a podiatrist, who generously donated their time and expertise to serve those in need. In addition to treatment, patients also received refurbished shoes and new socks, to support ongoing foot health and mobility.
Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife attended the December clinic, witnessing firsthand the meaningful difference this program makes in the lives of community members. Her presence underscored the importance of collaborative efforts to address health inequities and celebrate initiatives that uplift Oakland’s most vulnerable residents.
Looking ahead, the Clinic is excited to announce the continuation of monthly podiatry clinics throughout 2025. This expanded schedule is a testament to the program’s success and the unwavering dedication of the Clinic’s team and partners. The ongoing support from the John Muir Health Foundation and the generosity of the local community and volunteers have been instrumental in making this possible.
Community members can also play a vital role in sustaining this important work. Donations of gently used sneakers for men and women are always welcome and can be dropped off at the Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California, located at 2121 Harrison St., Suite 120. Each donation helps ensure that patients receive not only medical care but also the practical tools to maintain their health and dignity. For more information on how to contribute or get involved, contact info@orderofmaltaclinic.com.
HELP US HELP MORE
The Clinic’s work is made possible because of the generosity of donors and volunteers like you. We appreciate all that you do for our communities and the patients we serve.
If you’ve never seen the Order of Malta’s podiatry clinic at St. Vincent de Paul, you’ve never witnessed God’s work first-hand. You see it when one human being washes the feet of someone who is unhoused, ill, in need of care, and often invisible to our communities.
CARROLL FIFE, OAKLAND COUNCIL MEMBER
orderofmaltaclinic.com/donate
Mail-in donations are also humbly accepted. Please make checks payable to Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California and mail to:
Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California Attn: Development 2121 Harrison Street, #120 Oakland, CA 94612
