Health

Place in Pontiac, a neighborhood
three sons of Bernard ("B.B.") and
about serious illnesses, like cardio-
clinic offering free health care five
the late Esther Bolton. He grew up
vascular disease, cancer and stroke.
days a week to people not covered
in the Wildemere-Burlingame area
Dr. Bolton said people have come
by private insurance or public assis-
of Detroit, attended Roosevelt
to the clinic with advanced cases of
tance programs. He has served as the
Elementary and Durfee Intermediate
ovarian cancer, rectal cancer and
clinic's volunteer medical director
schools, then Southfield High
other diseases. They were afraid to
ever since, working there parts of at
School.
use the clinic since they had no
least three days weekly regardless of
He obtained a B.A. degree from
money, but then got so sick they just
his hectic surgery schedule.
the University of Michigan, a mas-
had to come in.
Mercy Place is
One man barely
the only free clinic
made it through the
atatioste tti
in metro Detroit
door and had a
supported entirely
heart attack in the
by volunteer physi-
waiting room.
cians.
Many of the
"All of my life, I
patients are embar-
wanted to be a doc-
rassed to receive
wog Rsialltw
tor to understand
free care and put $2
what makes us
or $3 on the exam-
human and to use
ining table when
',„IPA4>rs"
that knowledge to
they leave. And
help others," he
they're always prais-
.5y
said. "I've fulfilled
ing , us and thanking
this wish in two
us," said Dr.
ways — with my
Bolton, who now
patients at the hos-
gets assistance from
pital and by taking
14 other volunteer
care of the poor at
doctors, all on the
the clinic."
St. Joseph Mercy
Sponsored by St.
Oakland staff Each
Joseph Mercy
volunteer doctor
Oakland, Mercy
puts in a few hours
Steve Bolton founded Mercy Place.
Place had been
a month at the clinic.
located in an annex
The old clinic
of St. Vincent de Paul Church in
ter's in chemistry from Iowa State
resembled the inside of a miniature
Pontiac's south end. On April 26, it
University, and his M.D. from U-
old-time doctor's office, with two
moved to its own $1 million facility
M's Medical School.
small examining rooms, a small
on the city's northwest side, funded
"My practice at the hospital has
waiting room with a small TV set,
by the hospital and donations from
always been fulfilling, - but I could
and a few magazines. Only one sink
the community.
see the plight of the working poor,
was available for the doctors to share
Last year, Mercy Health Services,
or people who lost their jobs, lost
so they could wash up between
the organization that governs St.
their benefits and just couldn't
patients.
Joseph Mercy Oakland and 11 other
afford physician fees, medication, x-
"Since the rooms were so small
hospitals in Michigan and Iowa, rec-
rays and lab tests," he said.
and close to each other, there was
ognized Dr. Bolton's dedication and
"So, I founded Mercy Place, got it
really not much privacy," Dr. Bolton
commitment to the poor by giving
staffed with a nurse and a medical
aid. "So, we kept the TV volume
him its annual Meritorious Service
assistant, and convinced St. Joe's to
turned up sort of loud to allow us to
Award. Dr. Bolton became the first
lease the space at the church.
provide consultation to the patients
Jewish person to win the award —
'It's open 25 to 30 hours a week,
without everyone else listening."
in the form of a crystal chalice —
and we see about 300 patients
Most of the patients at Mercy
named after Sister Mary Maurita
monthly. To the people in the neigh-
Place are African Americans and
Sengelaub, the award's first winner
borhood, this is their 'hospital' and
Latino Americans, and about 1 per-
in 1884.
we are their doctors.
cent are Jewish — "a few people in
"My parents taught me the
"It's especially gratifying to know
south Oakland County cities who
importance of charity work and to
they are getting high-quality care
heard about us and have become
follow the Golden Rule of treating
here, the same as at the regular hos-
regulars here,"said Dr. Bolton. He
others the way I would want to be
pital. The main rule for patients
had to brush up on his Spanish at
treated," Dr. Bolton said. "They felt
using the clinic is that they are with-
the outset. Many of the people are
that sharing their blessings with oth-
out medical insurance. Once they
referred to the clinic by health and
ers was a way to achieve happiness
get another job and secure new
charity organizations.
for themselves. I realized at an early
insurance, they no longer can use
"We never have problems with
age how poverty affects the working
this facility."
anyone here regarding theft or other
poor, and I've tried to reach our to
The basic health care services
petty crimes. The people are just
the less fortunate — to go where the
include treatment of chronic condi-
happy and grateful to get the free
needs are." Dr. Bolton, 55, of
tions, such as arthritis, diabetes and
care. And we're fortunate to get
Bloomfield Hills, is the youngest of
high blood pressure, and education
donations of medical equipment

=

&<-s.v., •

•

6/4
1999

106 Detroit Jewish News

from companies and medicine from
pharmaceutical firms."
Dr. Bolton performs minor surg-
eries at the clinic, but takes the
patient to the hospital for major
operations — donating his profes-
sional fee if the person can't afford
to pay.
Dr. David Eisenstein of
Birmingham is the only other Jewish
doctor in the group. An obstetri-
cian/gynecologist, he grew up in
northwest Detroit and also graduat-
ed from U-M's Medical School.
"The only way to describe Steve
Bolton is that he's a real mentsh,"
said Dr. Eisenstein. "He's a great role
model for other physicians and for
Jewish people in general — a para-
digm of community involvement.
He's helped restore the health of
many poor people at Mercy Place. I `–\
don't know how he does it after
working hard at the hospital all
week. It's difficult for me to find
time when so many of my patients
are in labor all hours of the day.
"My parents also encouraged me
to be a volunteer — get more active
in the community. I think it's some-
thing a doctor should do. My father
(retired surgeon Bernard Eisenstein)
did volunteer medical work, and I
just followed in his footsteps.
"Taking care of poor people like
this is enjoyable because it's practic-
ing 'pure' medicine," Dr. David
Eisenstein said. "There's less pres-
sure. We handle a lot of patients as
they come in and out. We're not
bogged down with paper work. In
my case, I get a chance to have more
time with gynecological patients,
and thoroughly discuss their prob-
lems and the related medical issues."
The more time Dr. Bolton spends
at Mercy Place, the less time he has
to devote to his children, "but they
understand my absences," he said.
"They realize it's a way of life for
me. It's my main charity — some-
thing that has to be done, and I'm
proud of the strong family support."
He has two children from his first
marriage, Laurel, 22, and Sabrina,
21, and two children, Alexi, 11, and
Jacob, 7, from his marriage to Jane
Kelley, a psychologist. "Alexi and
Jacob often accompany me to Mercy
Place and help the staff," he said.
The family is affiliated with Temple
Israel.
Dr. Bolton gets a ringing endorse-
ment from the head of the Mercy
Health Services organization, CEO
Torn Feurig. "The mission statement