Schumann is one of various representatives from local health care, law enforcement and other programs at the breakfast end. They are the ones who know how to get help when there is nowhere else to turn. A man named Lenny will buy you a sleeping bag if you need it. Doctors from other medical institutions are also located nearby. Everyone works together.
Sometimes the guest's needs are ambiguous. A woman Schuman works with asks for help obtaining a copy of her high school diploma. Schuman makes that happen by calling or visiting her website.
In her garage, Schuman filled three garbage bags with socks collected from the nursing information departments of all five acute care hospitals at Penn State Health. Every once in a while, people wander by her table asking for a clean, dry pair or one of the piles of hand warmers she offers.
“Sometimes I just listen to people,” she said.
“Always for you”
When it comes to medical assistance, sometimes there is a dire need. The concerns are worldwide, and diabetes, heart disease, mental health issues, and musculoskeletal problems are common.
Da Vinci Vega was born and raised in Lancaster. He had been visiting Anchor for years and would help clear out the tables and chairs.
Vega now has deep scars on both of his legs from surgery to treat compartment syndrome, which is painful due to muscle compression caused by internal bleeding. During an examination of his leg, doctors discovered possible cancer in his spine. The jury is still out. Schumann helps him navigate insurance and find the right doctor.
“She always helps me with anything I need,” he said. “She's a beautiful person. She understands everyone. She's always there for you.”
“Angie has a deep connection with our guests,” said Patty Eaststep, executive director of Anchor Lancaster. “Her people want her. They seek her out. We all love her.”
Schumann worked for many years as a triage nurse at Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute, IO Silver Clinic. One day she volunteered at a local health event and she liked it so much that she applied for the job.
“I realized that I had solid nursing skills and strong assessment skills to go out into the community and be independent,” she said.
“His Angel”
Schuman knows she's making a difference, but it's not always easy to see it, she said.
After leaving Lancaster Anchor later that morning, she will go to the local Salvation Army where she will have her cholesterol and blood pressure checked. Here she encourages her guests to make lifestyle modifications, such as more exercise and better eating habits. Sometimes people's numbers improve. But it's not always easy to track. Schumann said patients sometimes move or simply “go dark,” but he just hopes that the research he's doing resonates and that they'll be okay wherever they settle.
But for patients like Spells, she says, she knows it works. When Schumann first met him several years ago, he was unsheltered, nearly blind, and trying to give himself insulin injections twice a day. Schuman recommended that she talk to her doctor about diabetes medication, which requires only one injection a week, which she continues to take.
“I was able to see him once a week for medication and dietary guidance,” she said. “I couldn't even do it twice in one day.”
Sometimes he comes to Anchor to see her, but he doesn't drive. Like many people in the area, lack of transportation is an obstacle to getting him the care he needs. Schumann met him frequently and gave him injections in the common room of his apartment. She also accompanied him to his medical appointments and learned that his problems related to diabetes were improving.
Spells gets up from Schumann's table after receiving his weekly dose. He spends his hour or so warming up, then goes outside and takes a cold bus to his apartment.
Before leaving, he nodded in Schumann's direction.
“Now take care of my angel,” he says.
Helping families overcome health care disparities is part of the Pennsylvania Health Strategy to address issues around health equity. For more information, please see the Pennsylvania Health Regional Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan.
