PEARISBURG -- Brenda Shama, a Pearisburg resident who must monitor her sugar and heart and suffers from high blood pressure and emphysema, was not sure how she could afford the medical treatment she needs now that routine monitoring of her health is required.

Her doctor referred her to the Giles Free Clinic, a place Shama describes as "fantastic."

The new satellite clinic of the Free Clinic of the New River Valley opened in Pearisburg in October.

Giles County has more access problems than any county in the New River Valley, said Amy Forsyth-Stephens, director of the organization. She said though the main clinic is in Christiansburg with other satellites in Radford and Floyd, there are still issues with Giles County residents being able to get the medical treatment they require.

"Before this new clinic opened, people had to make the trip to Christiansburg, which is often difficult if transportation isn't reliable, if the weather is bad or if someone's health is poor," Forsyth-Stephens said. "A 40-mile trip is a lot to ask, and people would have to come back to our pharmacy to pick up medication -- there was a geographic barrier."

Shama said she might have been able to make the trip to Christiansburg every now and then, but she would have had to rely on finding someone to drive her because she is afraid to travel such a distance in her current state of health. The new clinic's location is ideal for helping her monitor her health a couple times each month as recommended.

"I had to go on disability, and that was the only income I had and my health is not real good right now and they wanted me monitored closer than I could afford to pay," Shama said. "So many people here are out of work, laid off or just don't have the money, and they need help -- I never thought I'd be looking for a free clinic, but sometimes it's just one of those things -- it can happen to me, you, your family or anybody really."

Some may forgo treatment for serious illnesses just because they do not have the money to seek medical help.

"I finally came in because I had an upper respiratory infection, and they discovered I also had an ear infection," Shama said. "I could've passed out from the pain, but when you don't have the money -- you don't have it."

The Giles satellite is in front of Carilion Giles Memorial Hospital in Pearisburg.

Shama said the staff at the clinic makes those patients who may be too proud to receive help feel more comfortable.

"If you hurt long enough and hard enough you're going to be looking for help," she said. "I've always paid my way up to this point, but I didn't have the money to go to the doctor more than every six months. To those who are too proud to receive help I say to those people -- you're missing out on treatment."

Aside from transportation problems, there are plenty of other reasons Giles County needed a medical facility of this type, Forsyth-Stephens said.

"Giles County is also a medically under-served region, which is a federal designation that typically rural areas can apply for if they have a severe shortage of medical professionals to serve the population," she said. "Even people with insurance may have problems finding a local physician, and travel is often necessary, something that is more difficult for the low-income families."

The clinic provides medical care and will provide dental and mental health care beginning in 2008. The clinic is funded through federal grant money through a rural health outreach program partnership with the Giles hospital and the Virginia Rural Health Resource Center. The grant totals about $450,000 over three years, or $150,000 per year. Forsyth-Stephens said the goal now is to strategize about how to keep funds flowing.

"I'm confident local resources will start to support the clinic," she said. "We are able to run the clinic on the small grant because we are using a lot of volunteer and student manpower."

Several academic institutions have agreed to use the Giles satellite as an internship site for health and dental hygiene students, including New River Community College, Wytheville Community College and Jefferson College of Health Sciences in Roanoke.

Shaun Merix is the clinic coordinator for the Giles satellite clinic and a Giles native who knows the area and the people, which Forsyth-Stephens said makes residents feel welcomed and contributes to the success of the clinic.