ST. CLOUD | When Dr. Romualdo Dator had the idea of opening a free medical clinic in Osceola County, Bethanne Smith wanted to be a part of it. Fifteen years later, she is still taking care of patients with tenderness and love.
The St. Thomas Aquinas parishioner had seen the struggles of the working poor firsthand. The longtime nurse remembers uninsured patients in packed emergency rooms and Intensive Care Units. She wanted to make a change. In recognition of her commitment, Catholic Charities of Central Florida named her 2024 Volunteer of the Year.
“I was blown away,” Smith said. “I am so humbled and honored because what I do is God’s work. He uses my hands, my feet, my mouth, my ears to help others. To be recognized in this manner is amazing.”
Always wanting to do more, Smith went back to school to become a nurse practitioner. She completed her advanced studies just as St. Thomas Aquinas Medical Clinic opened in St. Cloud in 2008. Although working roughly 60 hours per week, she carved out four to eight hours a month to serve people who poured into the clinic.
Asked why she stayed the course, she said, “I feel committed to it. I feel that’s what the Lord wants me to do right now. He gave me the skills and the ability to go to school, and learn, and help people. When God gives you a gift, you’re supposed to use it.”
Smith is a cardiology nurse and recalled a patient experiencing chest pain from a heart attack. Smith rushed her to a nearby hospital for treatment. During a follow-up visit a few months later, the grateful patient explained she could now exercise and play with her grandchildren. “That made me feel good,” Smith said.
Another time she examined a man with acute abdominal pain and diagnosed appendicitis. The team rushed him off to surgery, saving his life.
“Just seeing people get back to life and keeping them out of the hospital” is something she said she appreciates. “Many don’t have the money for follow-up visits, so the clinic keeps them on track,” she explained. “It’s good for them not to have to worry about getting the care they need. They can just go on with their life. I feel blessed to be able to help other people. I feel we’ve provided a good service to the community.”
Smith is quick to credit the entire team of volunteers at the clinic. Often, they arrive to a line of people already waiting. “It’s increased my faith because you see the work of God through other people. I’m talking about everybody it takes to make this happen,” she said.
“And I’ve seen how God will bring certain people to you for one thing, and something else comes up in the course of the meeting. Somehow, you’re able to help in a way that is totally unrelated — in a spiritual way. Maybe it’s understanding what they’ve been through or are going through, offering some words of wisdom, Bible verses, or something that can help them. I’ve seen God at work in that way,” she said.
Prior to the COVID pandemic, the clinic served about 1,000 people annually. Although numbers have gone down, they are creeping back up again. Smith said she hopes people are aware their doors are still open. Meanwhile, she plans to continue, now serving as board chair and volunteering her nursing skills.
“I just do what God wants me to do and try to do the best I can,” she said. “I’m a simple girl. I have my own sins and faults. I’m thankful I have the ability to help other people. As long as I can, I’ll utilize that until I need to move on and do something different.”
To view a video highlighting Bethanne Smith’s work, visit https://youtu.be/odG2DyCu7FY.
By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic staff, August 23, 2024