VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
August 2026
community partners
A heartfelt thank you to The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and Marcus Weiss for generously donating the engaging and uplifting workshop, “The Beat of Joy: Showing Up for Yourself So You Can Show Up for Others.” Through music, movement, reflection, and plenty of fun, our team had the opportunity to reconnect with joy, reduce stress, and strengthen connection. We’re grateful for The Smith Center’s continued commitment to supporting those who serve our community and for helping our VMSN team feel revitalized, inspired, and ready to keep making a difference.
VMSN updates
We are deeply grateful to United Way of Southern Nevada for supporting VMSN through a 2026–2027 Community Impact Grant. This generous funding will help us improve and expand healthcare services for Southern Nevada residents who face barriers to care. Thank you, United Way, for helping us create a healthier, stronger community.
We are proud to announce that VMSN has been awarded a grant from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation in recognition of our dedication to providing quality, free oral healthcare. Thank you for investing in healthier smiles and a healthier Southern Nevada. Our partnership helps make free oral healthcare possible for those who need it most.
patient spotlight
“One day we’ll show our sons the kindness and compassion we received—and hope they’ll grow up wanting to pay that kindness forward.”
A Healthy Beginning for a Growing Family
Priya and Amarnatu are the proud parents of 9-month-old twin boys. Before coming to Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada, they struggled to afford prenatal care and health insurance. A coworker referred them to VMSN’s Maternity Care Clinic, where Priya received comprehensive care throughout her high-risk twin pregnancy, postpartum care, and dental treatment.
The couple quickly developed confidence in their care team, especially Dr. Elizabeth Buechler. “We always felt grateful for VMSN and confident in the quality of care we received,” Amarnatu says. The compassion they experienced made a lasting impression, inspiring them to teach their sons the importance of kindness and paying it forward.
Today, with the burden of healthcare worries lifted, Priya and Amarnatu can focus on raising their growing family. For them, VMSN provided more than medical care, it provided peace of mind during an important milestone and helped their family begin this new chapter with joy and hope.
Volunteer spotlight
From Service to Medicine: Irv C.
After 6.5 years in the U.S. Coast Guard, Irv returned to Las Vegas looking for a way to serve the community while gaining experience in healthcare. A Google search led him to VMSN, where he began volunteering as a medical interpreter. Now approaching three years and hundreds of volunteer hours later, his experience has strengthened his lifelong goal of becoming a physician. This fall, Irv will begin medical school at UNLV’s Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine.
One of the most meaningful parts of volunteering at VMSN has been witnessing the resilience of patients facing significant barriers to care—including financial hardship, transportation challenges, language barriers, and chronic conditions. “What struck me most was not only the trauma [patients] had endured, but the trust they placed in us,” Irv shared. “It is an honor for me” to be trusted during such vulnerable moments.
“VMSN has given me the strongest reinforcement of pursuing my ultimate goal of practicing medicine, with a much clearer and passionate understanding of the field.”
VMSN has shaped the kind of physician Irv hopes to become: one who treats the whole person, listens carefully, builds trust, and understands the circumstances that affect health. He credits VMSN’s patients, physicians, staff, and fellow volunteers with reinforcing his passion for medicine. “My time at VMSN has given me the strongest reinforcement of pursuing my ultimate goal of practicing medicine, with a much clearer and passionate understanding of the field.”
celebrations
Welcoming new team members, celebrating work anniversaries and birthdays!
Employee Spotlight
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Anthony has always valued family, friendships, and staying close to home. Outside of work, he enjoys quiet weekends spent listening to orchestra and instrumental music, creating art, and relaxing.
His passion for medicine began at an early age—even in elementary school, he dressed in scrubs for a career presentation and proudly declared he wanted to become a doctor.
As a Pharmacy Technician at VMSN, Anthony enjoys filling medications and knowing each prescription helps someone access the care they need.
A Lifelong Calling: Meet Anthony S.
He was drawn to VMSN as a way to give back to the community he grew up in while gaining valuable experience in healthcare. One of the most important lessons he’s learned is patience: “Just because you understand something doesn’t mean everyone else does. Sometimes you have to slow down and meet people where they are.”
What keeps Anthony at VMSN is the opportunity to help others while working toward a future career in medicine. He believes VMSN plays an important role in making healthcare accessible to people who might otherwise go without. His advice to others pursuing a dream is simple: “Never give up. If something is your dream, go for it. As long as you live, there are infinite chances.”
Upcoming events
We’re excited to partner with Broches for a Cause from September through November to support the mission of VMSN. This special collaboration honors the memory of the founders’ grandmother, Maria Dolores, whose strength and resilience through medical challenges inspired a beautiful brooch created in her honor.
Through this partnership, a portion of proceeds will help support VMSN’s efforts to provide free, quality healthcare to Southern Nevadans. We’re grateful for this meaningful partnership and look forward to sharing Maria Dolores’ story and the impact of this collaboration with our community!
Areas of need
Ongoing Needs
- $50 provides bloodwork for 7 patients to accurately diagnose
- $100 provides 40 prescription medications for good health
- $250 provides 125 crowns to save teeth and maintain a good diet
- $1,000 provides 700 patients with medical supplies
Volunteer Clinicians – doctors, nurses, dentists, hygienists, cardiology, oncology, therapy.
Help us provide quality health care within a culture of compassionate caring. Please consider donating. We would also love to give you a tour of the Ruffin Family Clinic, the main clinic on Martin Luther King Way. Contact us through our website or call 702-967-0530.
