Mercy doctors offer foot screenings to homeless

The homeless faces all sorts of health problems. And doctors at Mercy Medical Center have seen just about all of them.

On Tuesday, as part of a national event, doctors from the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction plan to head to the Helping Up Mission in Baltimore to look at some feet.

They will provide foot screenings, as well as footwear, to residents. While the doctors have been to the mission before, this effort is sponsored by Our Hearts to Your Soles, a nonprofit founded by a Pittsburgh teen in 2005.

Dr. Clifford Jeng, Dr. Rebecca Cerrato and Dr. John T. Campbell, as well as medical fellows from the Institute, will offer their services to the mission, at 1029 E. Baltimore St. from 1 p.m.-3 p.m.

"With people more health conscious these days, we're walking more, running, hiking--always on our feet," said Jeng in a statement. "We take healthy feet for granted. But for those who can't afford proper footwear or don't have access to good medical care for their feet, it's a different story. This program helps by providing shoes and foot screenings and by raising awareness, encouraging people to help those less fortunate."

For more information about Our Hearts to Your Soles, visit www.heartstosoles.com.

Baltimore Sun file photo of a homeless man wearing two different shoes/Chiaki Kawajiri