I love adventure - a passion I inherited from my dad. So, every year, he and I visit a new national park and look for the best way to truly experience what each has to offer, whether that’s through a scenic drive, a plane ride, or skydiving. Yes, we jumped out of an airplane above the Grand Canyon!
As I reflect with gratitude on these trips with my dad, I realize that his continued good health is a significant part of what makes these adventures possible. Even as he ages, my dad maintains his health by staying active and visiting his doctor regularly, allowing him to live the life he wants to live.
The same is true for Siloam Health’s patients. The health care we provide empowers them to experience the fullness of life - flourishing at home, at work, and in the community.
The link between health and work is significant – more than 20% of unemployed people report poor health, but only 6% of employed people report the same. Unemployed people are three times more likely to report poor health than those who are employed –because good health is essential to maintaining employment!
We provide health care so our neighbors in need can use their gifts, provide for their families, and serve the community through their work as carpenters, educators, cleaners, pastors, caterers, and more. Our neighbors from many nations are important, valuable members of our community who are also raising the next generation of leaders in Nashville.
Siloam provides health care so that the next generation of Nashvillians who come from all over the world can become the executives, lawyers, doctors, and public servants who help run our beautiful city in the future. This is what it means to empower neighbors to flourish, and when our neighbors flourish, our city thrives as a result.
All of this is possible because we have generous partners like you who offer your time, your expertise, and your resources Thank you for ensuring your neighbors in need are empowered to live physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy lives and to feel at home in our community
Gratefully in Christ,
Katie Richards President & CEO
Siloam Health’s mission is to share the love of Christ by serving those in need through health care.
MIGUEL’S STORY
When Miguel* arrived in the United States more than two decades ago, he was seeking stability, peace, and a better future for his family. He and his wife had journeyed from Guatemala with their infant son, propelled by the hope of building a life rooted in safety and opportunity.
“It wasn’t easy, but we had to make the decision to make sure our children were safe. So, we just put our faith in God, and we decided to move forward.”
In the years that followed, Siloam became a place of both refuge and renewal for Miguel.
“Dr. Snader has been my doctor for many years, and every time I come here and talk with him, it’s a relief. I can see that he cares about all the aspects of who I am. I know that he sees me as a full human being.”
That whole-person approach has been a lifeline for Miguel, especially in recent years. In addition to battling diverticulitis — a painful and recurring condition — Miguel has also carried the quiet burden of anxiety. Like many in his community, the weight of providing for his family while navigating the challenges of immigration, work, and language has taken an emotional toll.
“Every day I’m here, I’m thankful to God. But I’m also afraid. I want to control what happens to my family and my children, but I know I can’t. I know my wife is going through the same thing, and I don’t want to make it worse for her. And I definitely don’t want to put any of this on my kids. So sometimes, it’s just me alone.”
At Siloam, Miguel found a safe place to speak those fears aloud. Through conversations with Dr. Snader and emotional support from behavioral health providers like Rebecca Swift, he’s found space to begin healing not just his body, but his spirit.
“Talking about that with someone helps. I know it won’t change my situation, but in those moments, I feel relief. I can release whatever I have inside, and I can pray, and I can keep trusting in God.”
It’s trust in the Lord that continues to drive Miguel forward. Through his challenges and fears, he also finds courage in the love of his family and in seeing his children flourish – two have already graduated from Trevecca University, and one is currently studying at MTSU.
“I hope for my children to be healthy, to have an education, and to accomplish whatever they want to do. That’s what my wife and I were fighting for when we came here. I hope they know that we made that decision for them, and I’m thankful to God that we could do that for them.”
“My story is one of many. And I am very thankful that he is watching out for all of us through the people at Siloam. God is acting here at Siloam.”
*name changed for patient privacy
Donate today to provide health care for neighbors like Miguel.
Dr. Brent Snader with Miguel
COMMUNITY HEALTH IN ACTION
Community health workers (CHWs) are vital to empowering our neighbors to flourish. Siloam’s CHWs are immigrants who are trained and certified to serve members of their communities by addressing the social determinants of health and root causes of disease. They walk alongside Siloam’s patients to create and implement individualized health plans that can include diet, exercise, medications, self-care, community connection, and health care navigation. As a result, Siloam’s CHWs ensure that patients are set up for long-term health that extends to their families and communities.
Community health workers clockwise from bottom right: Milexa Hernandez speaks with a patient, Gihan Bassily reviews paperwork with a patient, Rosa Escobar looks at medication with a patient, Vannessa Cedeño discusses a balanced diet with a patient, Carolina Garcia exercises with a patient, Teriz Michael shops for healthy groceries with a patient.
20 YEARS OF CARE
Q&A WITH EMAD & MARIELA
Emad Khalil was a physician in his home country of Egypt before coming to serve as a medical assistant at Siloam, and Mariela Sanchez is from Colombia and now serves as a medical receptionist. As 20-year veterans of Siloam, we wanted to ask them a few questions about Siloam throughout the years.
Think back to your first few days at Siloam. What was it like? Why did you choose Siloam?
Mariela: I started as a volunteer at 12th Avenue when we had three apartments together. I started working on the telephone, and then they hired me here in 2005. I was so happy because I like to help people.
Emad: When I started in 2004, it was in the small apartment on 12th Ave. S. It was a very little apartment. Tiny triage room, tiny waiting room, small hallway where you could barely walk past someone. We had to go out to the street to do the vision screening. But I found great people caring for patients with compassion, praying for them, and providing excellent care for people – patients who didn’t have any resources.
I came from a medical background. I was a physician in Egypt, but I didn’t do my boards or study here because I came with my wife and younger son, so I needed to work right away.
What has kept you at Siloam for over 20 years?
Mariela: I like to help people. It’s like a mission. The service that Siloam does – the wholeperson care that is physical, emotional, and spiritual has kept me here. I love it.
Emad: I’m happy to come to work every day and to see patients and help with excellent and compassionate care. I see how much the people here care for our patients, but also for each other. Also, it is a blessing for my two boys who volunteered here and saw the work, so now both are pursuing medical work because they saw how much the patients here get care. I had worked in doctors’ offices before, but I’d never seen this kind of care before.
What are some of the greatest changes you have witnessed?
Emad: Siloam has gone from a small to a big clinic, then from one clinic to two clinics. This indicates God’s faithfulness and the faithfulness of our leaders. There are great people here who pray for our clinic – we keep faith and work together.
What is still the same after all this time?
Mariela: I think the love that we have for each other. And love can do everything. Even if we are not perfect, and we have different thoughts and we interact with co-workers from different backgrounds, but the love is still the same. And that is the same love that extends to our patients.
Emad: The mission. Sharing the love of Christ with people. For our patients, it’s the same compassionate care.
Why do you think Siloam is important for our city?
Emad: Because there are still many people without insurance, and Siloam is continuing to do great work. Every day, we witness people saving lives with compassionate care at an affordable price. Siloam never turns anyone away because they can’t pay.
Mariela reassuring a patient
What does health care at Siloam empower our patients to do?
Mariela: To be healthy is the most important thing – if they don’t have the opportunity to be treated, then they aren’t able to function in their homes, their jobs, and the community. If they feel well, a lot of them say “thank you for saving my life. Thank you for accepting me at Siloam” That way, they can function well in their family, their work, and everything.
What do you hope to see for Siloam in another 20 years?
Mariela: I wish that Siloam continues to grow up in service and in quality. I hope the best for Siloam. It is a joy to come here every day and do my job. I love to be here.
Emad: I want Siloam to serve more people. There are still more people than we can care for, so we need to grow to do more.
I also hope one of my two sons might work at Siloam one day. I pray for that. One is in the fourth year of medical school, and the other just started. They look to Siloam as a model for them.
FLOURISHING AND HEALTH
Human Flourishing – the state of optimal functioning and well-being across all aspects of an individual’s life.
At Siloam, we know that every person is beautifully made in God’s image and designed to lead a rich life. Physical health is linked to mental and spiritual health, and all aspects of our lives—work, family, community, and more—are directly or indirectly connected to our health.
MENTAL HEALTH
WORK
3X
individuals with one chronic disease are almost three times more likely to experience depression than physically healthy individuals*
20% of unemployed people report poor health, but only 6% of employed people report poor health^
FAMILY
30% MORE LIKELY
Parents who report fewer physical health problems are 30% more likely to engage in warm, responsive, and consistent parenting**
*National Institutes of Health, 2010 ^American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2022 **Society for Research in Child Development, 2018
REAL RELATIONSHIPS
VOLUNTEER SPECIALIST, DR. CRAIG MORRISON
Dr. Craig Morrison is an orthopedic surgeon who has been volunteering with Siloam Health for nearly a decade.
After volunteering in the clinic at Siloam for a couple of years, Dr. Morrison realized that many more patients needed joint replacements than were able to receive them. So, he called on his professional network to work with him and offer joint replacements to Siloam Health patients. And they said yes!
He shares a story about one of his early patients, saying, “He was Colombian and had been in the country for a while and was working as the breadwinner for the family. He was having trouble working because of his hip issues and couldn’t find a place to get his hip taken care of.”
“That’s the story in a lot of these families - it’s either the primary breadwinner or primary caregiver who needs health care so they can provide what their family needs.”
After a successful surgery, Dr. Morrison goes on to share that “this gentleman has been back to Siloam several times since then, and we always talk about the same things – family, work, etc. To see he’s still doing well and receives continuity of care at Siloam is great, so I can keep up with him. It’s a real relationship.”
Dr. Morrison values these real relationships with Siloam patients and sees them as opportunities for him to grow and learn, in addition to being part of compassionate, whole-person health care.
He says “When I come to clinic, I’m very interested in where people are from. It’s fun to understand the geography, the culture, why they came here, and how they navigate the system. They ask a lot of questions about the health part, and I have a lot of questions about their life, and they are willing to educate me as well.”
“Everyone who comes to see a physician is in a vulnerable position, and I think these patients even more so. So, I want to be human for them, not just a physician.”
We are so grateful for Dr. Morrison and all our specialist volunteers. Through his commitment to care for the whole person, our patients are empowered to live healthy lives where they can work, care for their families, and enrich our communities.
To learn more about volunteering with Siloam, scan here.
