FRANKLIN
Student athletes flooded Southampton Memorial Hospital this past week to receive complimentary physicals.

Continuing an outreach program that began four years ago, both varsity and junior varsity athletes from Franklin and Southampton County public schools got their check-ups.

“It’s our way of giving back to the community and establishing a health connection with these students at an early age,” said Kim Marks, the hospital’s CEO. Marks initiated the program in 2011.

It is a requirement of the Virginia High School League that every student athlete must undergo a yearly physical in order to be cleared to play. Therefore, the program serves two purposes: ensuring that high school sports’ players are able to participate in the sports they enjoy, and fostering doctor-patient relationships from an early age.

“It’s important for students to know that regular check ups are important to a healthy lifestyle. We hope that these youth will form a relationship with the physician or the hospital and will think of us when they or their families are in need of healthcare services,” Marks said.

“This is a really great community event that helps a lot of people,” Dawn Purvis, a nurse at the hospital, and mother of Southampton athlete, Megan Purvis.

Each year between 400 and 500 students benefit from this service.

Drs. Donald Bowling, Glen Bidwell, Danielle Carter, David Diep, Robert Edwards, Daniel Peak, Michael Ponder, Chikako Ono, Glenn Robertson, Eric Yancey and nurse practitioner Stacy Brinkley administered physicals throughout the week.