Cancer survivor launches fundraiser for Culmore Clinic

When Pat Hynes, a two-time cancer survivor, was looking for a way to pay it forward in appreciation for the great healthcare she received, she decided to launch a fundraising campaign to support the Culmore Clinic and its patients.

Hynes, a 5th grade teacher in Arlington and a former Fairfax County School Board member, received diagnoses of both breast cancer and melanoma in 2004.

Now, 20 years later, Hynes is healthy and deeply appreciative of her access to high-quality healthcare and community support. In celebration of her 20th anniversary of being cancer-free, she wants to ensure other community members have similar access to screenings and opportunities for survival.

Hynes’ fundraising campaign, “20k for 20 years: It’s Time to Bridge the Healthcare Access Gap,” seeks to raise $20,000 for the Culmore Clinic.

Hynes invites the community to learn more about the campaign at a reception April 23, 6-7:30 p.m., at the Culmore Clinic, located at the First Christian Church, 6165 Leesburg Pike in Seven Corners. Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez, a former member of the Culmore Clinic board, will speak at the reception. RSVP here.

Those who can’t attend can donate online.

The nonprofit Culmore Clinic provides free access to healthcare for a low-income, immigrant population in the Seven Corners and Bailey’s Crossroads area.  

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The clinic offers a comprehensive range of services, including primary care, vision tests, dental care, lab testing, women’s health, colorectal and cervical cancer screening, and more.

Through a predominantly volunteer staff, the clinic provides culturally sensitive care and promotes health literacy with help from highly trained interpreters and translation technology.

Hynes says she decided to support the Culmore Clinic after reading a report published by Virginia Commonwealth University and the Northern Virginia Health Foundation. The report documented how some communities in Northern Virginia, such as Bailey’s Crossroads, are “islands of disadvantage” that are missing out on the region’s prosperity.

Between 2009 and 2021, the poverty rate in Culmore increased from 17 percent to 30 percent, and the child poverty rate nearly doubled. “I was stunned. The gap was widening in Fairfax County,” Hynes said. There are wide disparities in access to healthcare, too.

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When she was searching for a program to address those disparities, “everyone said to check out the Culmore Clinic,” Hynes said. “I visited, and they were wonderful and helped me set up the fundraiser.”

“My own health journey has taught me the vital importance of accessible healthcare and community support,” she said. “I am grateful for the care I received and am determined to extend the same opportunities to others. Supporting Culmore Clinic aligns perfectly with my mission to ensure everyone has a chance at a healthy life.”