Our family’s favorite Italian word is “Zizi.” In simple terms, it means “auntie,” but for us it holds special meaning and significance, because it refers to my second youngest sister who passed away about 10 years ago at the age of 49.

In September, my son, Philip, will turn 50. As a child, he used the word regularly when addressing or talking about his Auntie Fran and my best friend—especially when the three of us were working at the family ice cream parlor in Jermyn. 

I also lost my sister, Adeline, about five years ago when she died at the young age of 61. 

These painful and premature losses explain my advocacy and leadership efforts at the Wright Center for Community Health, where I have been a patient for more than 20 years, and a board and committee member for 13 years. I attribute my overall health and vitality at the age of 74 to the care and personal attention I receive from this high-performing community health center, which is now headquartered in Scranton.

Since my dear sisters were not as fortunate during their lives, I want to make sure others in the region are aware that the Wright Center’s patient-centered approach is available to everyone, no matter their zip code, insurance status or ability to pay.

Health centers like the Wright Center provide preventive and primary care services to nearly 30 million patients nationwide at about 11,000 clinical sites. 

During National Health Center Week (August 7-13), I want to help spread the word about the central role this model plays in our national health care system.

Health centers provide care to people who disproportionately suffer from chronic disease and lack access to affordable, high-quality care. While our approach is community-based and local, collectively health centers are the backbone of the nation’s primary care delivery system. The Wright Center and other health centers lower health care costs by $24 billion a year, reduce rates of chronic diseases and stimulate local economies.

The Wright Center provides impactful, and in some cases life-saving care to people in northeast PA. It looks beyond medical charts to address the factors that cause poor health, such as poverty, homelessness, substance use, mental illness, lack of proper nutrition and unemployment. We are a critical piece of the health care system and collaborate with regional hospitals, local, state and federal governments, and social, health and business organizations to improve health outcomes for people who are medically vulnerable.

The mission of health centers remains crucial today amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as access to basic care remains a challenge in parts of the region, state and nation. Many individuals live in remote and underserved communities where there is a shortage of providers and, in many cases, the nearest doctor or hospital can be a long drive away. That’s why the Wright Center continues to grow in order to better serve the needs of our communities in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties. 

Through personal circumstance, I have come to appreciate the role and value of the Wright Center and the related Community Health Centers that serve our nation.

Mary D’Elia Marrara is the secretary of the Wright Center for Community Health board of directors and vice chairperson of the Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement board of directors, among other roles. Learn more about the Wright Center at thewrightcenter.org.