24/03/2025
Rick arrived at Ozanam House after being discharged from The Royal Melbourne Hospital.
A project manager in the construction industry, he once inspected homes and commercial buildings. Now, he doesn’t have a home of his own. No family to call.
He carries a hospital discharge plan in his hands and a heavy bag on his back, too heavy, given the Angina that tightens his chest with every step. Two blockages in his heart. Ten kilos lost in just a few months, without trying.
Every daily task feels like a battle, and his biggest fear? His medications. He can’t afford them.
After being discharged, Rick had no money to see a GP or even fill his scripts. Like so many others, he was left in a gap, too unwell to manage alone, and without the means to get help. The weight of that uncertainty sat on his chest, just like his heart condition.
This is where the health services at VincentCare - Ozanam House and the Mobile GP service stepped in. Through this service, Rick was able to see a telehealth doctor from Atticus Health, get his medications reviewed, and in a flash he felt like he was regaining some control over his health.
Ozanam House paid for his medications and arranged for them to be collected from North Melbourne Pharmacy.
As soon as Rick received his eScripts, he exhaled, finally able to breathe, even if just for a moment.
He quit smoking five years ago, thinking he was making a choice for a better future. But today, that future feels uncertain. His financial situation is dire. He’s looking for work, but with his health in crisis, the odds feel stacked against him. He feels sad, depressed, anxious, trapped in a cycle he can’t seem to break.
And yet, Rick still shows up.
The strongest people aren’t the ones at the top.
They’re the ones who refuse to let rock bottom define them.
Go Rick!!! 👏🏽👏🏽
