Crescent Community Health Center is mourning the loss of Sister Helen Huewe, along with the rest of our Dubuque community. It is safe to say Crescent would not be here today without the dedication and strength of Sister Helen, a founding board member of Crescent.
Despite being turned down for federal grant funding for several years, our health center opened on a small scale in 2006 thanks to local support. Due to the persistence of Sister Helen, Crescent was awarded a federal grant in August 2007 which allowed Crescent to expand to the full health center model of care. "When I got the word that we got the grant, so Crescent Community Health Center became a federally qualified health center, my only response was to cry," said Sister Helen. "This Crescent Community Health Center is about people helping people. People giving of themselves to help those who need it most. It’s about people supporting and enhancing a health care model in our community that will provide quality care to everyone. It’s about people sticking with it long enough to see success."
Sister Helen also had a passion for providing compassionate care to the Marshallese community. She was a driving force in Crescent's Dubuque Pacific Islander Health Project, with the mission to engage, educate and empower Compact of Free Association (COFA) migrants in achieving and maintaining health and well-being by working to remove barriers and assist in accessing needed resources.
“Sister Helen’s passion for helping all people was clearly seen in her every action. In fact, in the short time I knew Sister Helen, I learned of her desire for the advancement of Crescent Community Health Center and in particular, the Pacific Islander Health Project which currently serves hundreds of patients," said Gary Collins, Crescent's Chief Executive Officer. "In the weeks leading up to her health challenges, Sister Helen participated in the Crescent strategic planning process to ensure our past successes would move us forward with the recent move behind us. Our community has lost one of the most caring and kind-hearted individuals in the world this past weekend. She will be forever cherished by all that knew her and the work she started at Crescent will carry on for many years to come. Rest in peace, Sister Helen, our hearts are heavy but we will keep what you started moving forward in your honor.”
To watch the video of Crescent's story and Sister Helen's profound impact on our organization click here.
Crescent Community Health Center eo konan bok ienin im kwalok am buromoj kobalok ipen jukjuk bedbed ilo Dubuque kin jako in an Sr.Helen joun eo ear wijleplok aolepen an mour im ien ko an raurok bwe ne ear jab e Crescent epan kar ekkeke rainin elap ijjoko kunaan enwot joun uuan eo ej board in Crescent.
Ear jab bidodo jet iio ko kemij kabok jipan jen Federal ear jab tobrak win eo nan jet grant ko remaron in jipan menin aikuj ko ikjien takto ilo 2006 eo kamolol Sr Helen ear beran wonmanlok boktok lujen Crescent elikin ien enwot joun eo eberan im lole, elkin ienin Crescent ear bok joun menin lelok jen Federal. Ilo August 2007 Crescent ear laplok im lonlok kain jerbej ko ie im ear erom jikin takto nan elon. Ke ear ron ke etobrak maani in kemar kajitoke jonan ao monono iar aikujin jan. “Sr Helen” ej kemlot ijin Crescent Community Health Center ej nan armij ro im elaptata jipan armij ro.Elon wot armij ro rej kio jipan kin jipan ko aer nan kokmanman lok im jabewot wewain nan jikin takto in ad.Kio jej leo elaplok kab emmanlok nan aolep raininjej loe elaplok oktaak.
Sister Helen joun eo buruen im lemnak eo an eke nan komman wonmanlok, Joun eo e lole. Elikin jet ien tok elik ear jinoe bok kunaan ilo Pacifc Ialnder health Project eo nan kadebakbak lok mijen in. Ear aikujin konek ippen elon jikin ko,elon kain kadkad in armij,bejnej ko,nan kadebaklok todedein Project in.Ear barien wot bok konaan konono kin COFA kewoj ri ailon ko ear barein wot bokunan im bwe ro rar jab maron loe jikin takto en wod jipan nan ear elap jen ad maron kejemoje jonan jipan ko an nan aolep ilo jukjuk in bed in.
Sister Helenear barein wot lap kunaan ilo jipan kejwoj ilo jukjuk in bed in an ri majel ilo Dubuque. Sr.Helen joun eo elole,beran e jelalokjen ne enaj karoke bwen jerbal nan ne etobrak nan dedelokin.joun korein kotobar. Ear jola kajien Sr.Helen ilo joun ien eo ekaru elap kio rainin elonlok jen jibuki armij rej kio uan Pacific Islander Health Project eo rainin rej takto “Gray Collin,ej kemelot ijin.Jloun eo edebakbak jerbal ko an im jenaj anok jenkwan ilo aolepen kijejeto ko an nan jukjuk in bed in ad.Ij kobalok ilo etan Crescent im jukjuk in bed ilo ienin ebin ilo ao kile im nebar e Sr.Helen kin jerbal ilo ial in am Jeramon nan kwe im kemij ememlok iiok ienwot joun eo ear ruup enbwinin kin aolep.Iakwe iiok nan indeo.emanlok pa ebwilok joun ian joor ko relap an Dubuque in .
