Photos by Jared Soares | The Roanoke Times

Many patients at the Roanoke Rescue Mission's clinic, including Bill Hyland, have chronic conditions. A planned clinic would expand the mission's services by having six dedicated exam rooms, two offices for psychiatrists and up to six dental rooms.

A wound on Bill Hyland's pinky was diagnosed Monday as a staph infection, but his hand had continued to swell, and antibiotics had not stopped the infection from spreading.

Recovery Program graduate Becky Harrison (right) listens to Dr. Faith Pasley during a visit to The Rescue Mission health clinic Wednesday morning. Pasley, a family physician, volunteers her time about twice a week at the clinic.

Bill Hyland, who has been in and out of the Roanoke Rescue Mission several times in recent years, waits to have his hand examined Wednesday morning. The mission's clinic diagnosed him with diabetes during his initial visit four years ago.

Frostbite, diabetes, a raging hand infection and a head cold were just a few of the health issues that filled the waiting room at the Rescue Mission of Roanoke's clinic Wednesday.

While overall services at the mission went up 22 percent in 2008, the number of patient visits to the clinic was up 62 percent.

With just four exam rooms, the small clinic space has simply become too cramped, clinic manager Stephanie Sylvester-Johnson said.

By December, plans were in place to raise about $700,000 to renovate an existing building owned by the Rescue Mission and located just down the road at 321 Tazewell Ave. S.E.

A month later, having secured about half the funding through grants from Carilion Foundation, the Belk Foundation and The Sunshine Lady Foundation, the Rescue Mission is hoping to have the new space open by July 1.

When the new clinic is completed, the old clinic space will be used for the Rescue Mission's men's respite care program.

Because many of the clinic's patients have chronic illnesses, nearly all of those seeking treatment Wednesday were familiar to the staff at the Rescue Mission Free Clinic for the Homeless.

"They really care about you," Becky Harrison said. "They don't just bring you in and send you out with some medicine. They take the time to find out what's wrong with you."

For Harrison, that has meant having nine teeth pulled, finding a treatment for her psoriasis and correcting her vision with eyeglasses. On Wednesday, though, she was there with a bad cold.

Along with a significant uptick in the number of people seeking homeless services at the Rescue Mission, the complexity of the health issues facing clients has led to a sharp increase in the amount of care being given at the clinic.

"We find many of our clients have chronic diseases," Sylvester-Johnson said. "Their illnesses are a little more exacerbated than the average person because they haven't been treated and they almost always have more than one issue."

Bill Hyland first visited the clinic about four years ago with a cold. During that initial visit, he was diagnosed with diabetes. Although he has found work and come and gone from the Rescue Mission several times since his first visit, he was back Wednesday with an open sore on his right pinky. The wound was diagnosed Monday as a staph infection, but his hand had continued to swell, and antibiotics had not stopped the infection from spreading.

"I've told people if you want to go someplace nice, go to the clinic," Hyland said. "They have helped me big time over the years."

Along with a need for more medical offices, Sylvester-Johnson said, there is an extreme need for better psychological and dental care.

Although the clinic started offering dental services in 2008, there is no dedicated space specifically equipped for dental care. One dentist currently sets up a mobile office, but many clients are sent to off-site dental offices for care.

Similarly, staff offices serve as rooms for psychological counseling.

The new clinic plans call for six dedicated exam rooms, two offices for psychiatrists and up to six dental rooms.

Once the space is available, Sylvester-Johnson said, the focus will be on identifying more volunteer counselors and dentists.

"We have several dentists who want to volunteer, but we have absolutely no space," she said.

Twenty-six people had appointments at the clinic Wednesday morning.

The clinic is "busy all the time, and with the circumstances surrounding the employment issues these days, I think this new clinic will work great for the community at large," said Brandon Robinson, who was at the clinic Wednesday to get his blood pressure checked.

Two volunteer medical providers were scheduled to see patients, but when one called in sick, several people waiting for medical care had to be rescheduled.

"If we had any more space, we could have had more providers scheduled and probably could have absorbed the patient load," Sylvester-Johnson said.

Robinson is recovering from frostbite on both feet and can't fit into his tennis shoes. When the frostbite was diagnosed about a year ago, Robinson lost a toe on each foot. The lingering wounds and infection mean he must visit the clinic every day to have his blood pressure checked.

"I've been pleased with my stay here, and I'm very appreciative of the hospitality, medical services and the way they treat me," Robinson said.

"When I go back to work, I think I'll be giving something back to them every year."