Tuberculosis Testing Required For Homeless Shelters

I hated to wake her up, but I wanted to be sure she’d be OK with being in the photo about to be taken. When she awoke she greeted me with a smile and a laugh. I asked her how she was doing and as he giggled and picked away at the muffin beside her.

“I’m great. God is so good.” She said with grin.

I was floored by her gratitude. Here was a beautiful young woman with no material goods to her name but the well worn and unwashed clothes on her yet rich with positivity and a spiritual connection.

She was there to get a tuberculosis (T.B.) test, as one is needed every 6 months to stay in San Francisco’s shelter programs. It was obvious that she hadn’t been getting enough rest, as she kept drifting in and out of consciousness during her visit to St. Anthony Free Medical Clinic.

“Can I get something saying I was here today for this test? I need it for the shelter.” She asked Medical Assistant Jaime Martinez. He got her all the proper documentation she would need and wished her well as she left the Clinic.

St. Anthony Free Medical Clinic began nearly 60 years ago in response to a T.B. outbreak in San Francisco. Almost 6 decades later we are meeting those needs, along with hundreds more, in concert with the city of San Francisco and our poor and homeless neighbors to keep our community alive and healthy.