THOMAS CONNELLY: Recognizing local health care heroes

February is Black History Month. It is a yearly celebration of accomplishments by African Americans and a period for recognizing their pivotal role in this country’s history.

Albany Area Primary Health Care and its 29 clinical sites in southwest Georgia are viewed by many as medical beacons of light. This nonprofit agency, which is committed to providing the best medical care to each of its patients, is the largest Community Health Center in the region. Founded in 1979 in part by Dr. James Hotz (the inspiration for the movie “Doc Hollywood”) under the patronage of the federal Public Health Service, it accepts Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurance as payment and uses a sliding fee scale for patients who are financially burdened.

As a large number of AAPHC’s patients are poor, rural minorities who, because of their circumstances, might not have been afforded many positive role models in their lives, the health center is very much a godsend to them.

Speaking of minorities, a number of AAPHC providers are also in this group. They, very understandably, can be seen as role models to their patients. Two examples are Dr. Deirdre Mae Lawson and Purvis Collier. Lawson was born in England to two professionals and then lived in Jamaica for the majority of her youth. While a youngster, she entertained thoughts of becoming a physician early on, locking in on pursing this goal when she was a mere 9 years old.

Armed with this burning desire to serve others as a medical professional, Lawson spent many long hours studying her courses so she could attend medical school and become a physician.

Her years of efforts paid off, as she graduated from the University of Florida Medical School in 1991. She later journeyed to Augusta, where she completed her residency in internal medicine at the Medical College of Georgia.

Lawson has worked in her current capacity at AAPHC since 1994. During this time, besides being such a game-changer in her choice of professions, she served as chairperson of the Department of Internal Medicine for many years. She also served on a number of other committees for AAPHC and other entities in the area. Currently, she serves on Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital’s Ethics and Credentials committees.

Services Lawson provides for AAPHC include wellness exams, and women’s health tests.

Concerning activities outside of her medical practice, Lawson is a member of Sherwood Baptist Church. She sang in the choir until family responsibilities and ultimately COVID disrupted that.

Collier was born in South Carolina. His father was in the Air Force, and his mother was an RN. After graduating from Houston County High School in Warner Robins, this young man enrolled in college at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro. Desiring to work in the medical field, he decided to work specifically as a physician assistant after attending a summer program that introduced him to the PA profession at The Medical College of Georgia following his junior year.

Subsequent to his graduating from GSU with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry, he earned a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of South Carolina in Charleston. After working in this capacity in Charleston, he transited to southwest Georgia and put down roots here.

Collier serves as a Physician Assistant at the East Albany Medical Center location on East Broad Avenue. He has been the clinical director since 2015. He also serves as the Advance Practice Provider Chair for AAPHC.

During Black History Month, it is an honor to celebrate two local heroes who help make this community healthier.