Peak Vista’s ‘Breakfast of Champions’ returns to help underserved communities

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., (KRDO)- The face of healthcare has changed tremendously throughout this pandemic. Peak Vista Community Health Centers sees it firsthand due to their efforts to serve and treat underserved communities across Southern Colorado.

At Peak Vista, they make it a priority to ensure people have quality healthcare regardless of income or insurance. Their annual Breakfast of Champions event is back this year after being postponed last year due to COVID-19. The goal is to raise funds in order to continue their mission of providing healthcare to people facing access barriers through clinical programs and education. 

Their keynote speaker this year is 14-time Paralympic gold medal winner Erin Popovich, who continues to support athletes through her work with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Popovich says her unique perspective as a Paralympic athlete stresses the importance of healthcare.

The pandemic has taught everyone in healthcare to think quick, including adapting to 'Telehealth' services even with a huge learning curve.

"That was one area we really became robust in to allow our patients to be able to have access to us in some form fashion when they did not have transportation or couldn't come out of their home," said Lisa Ramey, Interim CEO of Peak Vista Community Health Centers.

At Peak Vista, they serve 93,000 patients across Colorado which amounts to about 400,000 visits per year.

Last year, patients encountered several hardships from transportation to losing their jobs, resulting in an increase in mental health needs.

"Our patients who already have some type of barrier, now that inhibits their ability to get access to our facility that increases their need of mental health more for our patients so for us to be able to have funding resources to for our patients that will help us tremendously," added Ramey.

This is why this fundraiser is essential for their overall mission to continue, providing health care for those facing access barriers through clinical programs and education. This year they spent time educating the community on the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"So for us to continue to go down that path is significant, of education for our patients which is something we've done for a long time, which is basic in healthcare but it definitely allows it to continue even more," added Ramey.

The Breakfast of Champions is on Friday November 19th, at the Broadmoor Hall. For more information on how to attend, visit their website.