The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics Partners with Covance to Help Hundreds in Need at Wisconsin Free Health Clinic Event

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) recently partnered with Covance Inc. (NYSE: CVD), the world's most comprehensive drug development company and a leader in nutritional analysis, for a third year to support a one-day Free Health Clinic event in Wisconsin. The clinic, held in Madison, Wisconsin on August 9th and sponsored by the Covance Charitable Foundation, was held to provide access to free medical care and connection to important resources to the area's medically underserved patients.

In addition to sponsoring the event, 90 Covance employees volunteered that day, including five doctors, 12 nurses, 10 laboratory technicians and two pharmacists, along with another 550 additional volunteers that traveled both locally and from across the country to give back to those in need.

"Sponsoring the CARE Clinics is a wonderful opportunity to see the Covance vision come to life," said Lisa Uthgenannt, Covance Corporate Senior Vice President of Human Resources. "It's also a privilege for Covance colleagues to donate their expertise to care for others, especially in Madison, a community in which more than 2,000 of our employees live and work. This was a great opportunity for us to really change the lives of those in dire need of medical services, under- and uninsured individuals and families who often fall through the cracks of the health care system."

The NAFC's C.A.R.E. (Communities Are Responding Everyday) Clinics are not just for the sick but also for anyone who is uninsured or has little to no access to medical care or can't afford to see a doctor or pay for high cost prescription medications. Hundreds of patients were able to receive basic preventive primary medical care at the Wisconsin clinic event (including medical exams, diabetes tests, cholesterol tests, EKGs, pregnancy tests and more), 3 free months of medication, health education, on-site insurance navigators and connection to follow up care and the area's safety net community resources.

Covance has supported and participated in three C.A.R.E. Clinics since 2012 held in Dallas, New Orleans and Madison where more than 2,000 people have been able to receive not only basic check-ups and physicals but also medical attention for life-threatening conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, HIV and obesity.

"We were so thankful for the continued support Covance has given to our organization," said NAFC Executive Director Nicole Lamoureux. "Through their sponsorship and volunteer efforts for this and past clinic events, Covance has helped bring much needed health care, connection to resources, and most importantly hope to thousands of people in need."

About the Organization:

The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics is the only nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of more than 1,200 Free and Charitable Clinics and the people they serve in the United States.

Founded in 2001 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., the NAFC is an effective advocate for the issues and concerns of free and charitable clinics, their volunteer workforce of doctors, dentists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, technicians and other health care professionals, as well as the patients served by Free and Charitable Clinics in communities throughout the nation. For more information, go to: www.nafcclinics.org.