MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — It's Women's History month!
Folks in Milledgeville are kicking it off by making sure women are staying healthy.
Co-hosted by the Macon Chapter of the Links, Black K.A.R.E.-- Kidney Awareness, Resources, and Education– hosted a seminar Saturday.
One of the speakers was internal medicine doctor, Patrice Boddie, whose family has practiced medicine in Baldwin County for 3 generations.
13WMAZ’s Jessica Cha spoke with her about carrying on her family legacy and keeping folks in rural Georgia healthy.
"This is information that they need to know to leave a legacy of healthier living for our children,” says Tammi Blackwood– program coordinator for Black K.A.R.E.
Folks gathered at Flipper Chapel in Milledgeville for women to learn more about their health. Specifically the black community.
"African Americans are 13 percent of the U.S. population. Unfortunately, we make up over 35% of those who suffer from kidney failure,” Blackwood explains.
Internal medicine doctor, Patrice Boddie, was one of the guest speakers.
"I've practiced here since 1987,” she says. “I’ve seen a constant health threat that continues to wreak havoc on our African American population."
Boddie practices out of a building on Wayne Street. The same one her grandfather, Julian Franklin Boddie, did around the 1920s to the late 1950s.
“Because the African American community didn’t have a hospital per say, he would visit people's homes and perform surgical procedures,” Boddie explains. His office– when I went downstairs– there was a little hospital down there. Operating lights, operating room tables, and such.”
Boddie says her uncle took over her grandpa's practice and both have helped folks in the surrounding rural counties for decades.
She didn't think she would follow in their footsteps.
"Now, I don't know anything else that I would want to do,” she says. “It's something that gets me up everyday, and even though when I get home I'm dog tired, I feel as though I’ve done some good."
Boddie says she chose to practice internal medicine because of the conditions affecting her community.
"Diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia. Those are the big three,” she says.
She says these cause kidney disease, obesity, and high cholesterol.
“A lot of it is genetics based, a lot of it is just social associations, social pressures about the way that we eat, a lack of exercise. We have self-image problems due to generational degradation,” Boddie explains.
Edna Stone is one of Boddie’s patients. She was just diagnosed with high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
“I had been having pains, mainly in my arms. I knew something was really wrong there, so I decided to be in the care of Dr. Boddie,” Stone says.
Stone says Boddie has taught her about eating and sleeping better. She said stress had been contributing a lot to her condition.
Jannette Fostin is one of her patients.
“Well, first my brother was real sick and having kidney problems. So, we decided to take him to Dr. Boddie, and he was in really bad shape, “ Fostin explains. “When she saw his tests, she didn’t even wait to call him back into the office or anything, she went to his house and told him he needed to go to the hospital right away. So, I knew then, this was a special doctor.”
Fostin says her brother passed away from his kidney issues, and that made her pay attention to her own medical issues.
“Well, I decided to let her give me a complete check up and thank God that I did because she has checked everything,” she says.
Fostin says she doesn't have anything serious, but is glad she caught it before it was.
"I'm trying really hard,” says Boddie. “I'm sincere about what I'm doing and telling the patients."
Folks from Enhance Behavioral Medicine, One Lyfe Health and Fitness, and the Macon Medical Group were there too.
They say they'll be hosting a financial literacy seminar on Saturday, March 11th at Flipper Church at 11 a.m.