10 Things About Carol Tellez & Champions for Health

“Life is too short. Don’t dwell on small stuff because it doesn’t matter”.

The mission of Champions for Health (CFH) is to improve community health and wellness, access to care for all, and support for physicians through engaged volunteerism. Champions for Health addresses the unanswered healthcare needs of low-income and uninsured San Diego County residents. Champions for Health provides preventive and specialty care services and surgeries free to uninsured San Diegans where they live, work, pray, and play. When Carol Tellez learned about Champions for Health in 2013, she was impressed with how CFH is able to help the entire family with preventive and specialty care services to people who were the most in need. She has been a donor and supporter of Champions for Health ever since.

#1 I am from a town called Lakewood in Colorado, near Denver. I loved skiing in the winters and hiking and enjoying all of nature’s wonder all year round.

#2 Bodega Bay is our favorite rustic travel spot. It is right on the ocean, with beautiful scenery and lots of fishing. From there, we visit wine country in Sonoma – it is like a home away from home.

#3 I love to exercise, especially walking and hiking in nature. My favorite walk is Torrey Pines because of its marvelous view.

#4 When I was entering nursing school, a friend and I visited a tiny village in Mexico where the Tarahumara or Rarámuri Indigenous people live. The Rarámuri still live traditionally in natural shelters such as caves and cliff overhangings. It was an amazing experience in wilderness medicine.

#5 Book Recommendation: “Animal Dreams” by Barbara Kingsolver. It is about a young woman who returns to her hometown to care for her father as his Alzheimer’s disease progresses. The novel explores themes of family, love, and the importance of community.

#6 I learned about Champions for Health when my family moved to San Diego 11 years ago, and my husband was the CMO at True Care.

#7 My work in the past has been with children in Head Start and running a Pediatric health clinic in Sacramento.

#8 People are struggling to find a service as they get sicker and sicker. We need to step up and work with non-profits like Champions for Health to get people through the system and get a service.

#9 Our 200 physicians, hospitals and surgery centers volunteer their care and services, while our staff guide the PASD patients through the process and provide free medical interpreting, transportation, diagnostic tests and medicines.

#10 Funds from the United in Wellness Gala will benefit Project Access San Diego (PASD). PASD provides free specialty care services and surgeries to uninsured adults, ages 18-50, with income of 139%-322% Federal Poverty Level (FPL).

Champions for Health
UNITED IN WELLNESS GALA
Saturday June 1, 2024
The Prado at Balboa Park
www.unitedinwellnessgala.org