Canon Solutions America Supports UM’s Pediatric Mobile Clinic for Underserved Children

Representatives from Canon Solutions America recently watched their philanthropy in action – a steady stream of children, accompanied by family members, receiving quality health check-ups and treatments in a 38-foot pediatric mobile clinic parked behind the Center for Haitian Studies in Miami.

A lifeline to underserved children across Miami-Dade County, the University of Miami Pediatric Mobile Clinic has received additional support from Canon Solutions America.

From left, Maria V. Ferraris and Dr. Lisa Gwynn from the Pediatric Mobile Clinic; Steve Walton from Canon Europe; and John W. Scafetta, Andrea Headley Rai, and Stephanie Caro from Canon Solutions America.
From left, Maria V. Ferraris and Dr. Lisa Gwynn from the Pediatric Mobile Clinic; Steve Walton from Canon Europe; and John W. Scafetta, Andrea Headley Rai, and Stephanie Caro from Canon Solutions America.

At the heart of the UM Pediatric Mobile Clinic’s service is a mission to improve access to health care for the most vulnerable – an effort that speaks to Canon’s corporate philosophy of kyosei, which is defined as all people, regardless of race, religion, or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future.

“Canon Solutions America is incredibly proud to be a supporter of the University of Miami’s Pediatric Mobile Clinic,” said Peter Kowalczuk, president of Canon Solutions America. “It is vitally important that these children have access to quality health care as they continue to build bright futures. Through our relationship with the University of Miami, we are able to further build upon Canon Solutions America’s corporate social responsibility efforts by impacting humanity in a positive way.”

Canon Solutions America has been supporting the Pediatric Mobile Clinic since 2013 to reach families that otherwise would not have access to vital medical interventions and health education.

“We are grateful for socially responsible corporate partners like Canon Solutions America,” said Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., dean and chief academic officer of the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. “They mobilize the kind of change we want to see in the world. Their continued support speaks to the profound impact the Pediatric Mobile Clinic has on access to health services, and it is a testament to their commitment to improving the lives of the underprivileged.”

As a vital part of the Miller School’s Department of Pediatrics, the mobile clinic team includes physicians, nurses, a social worker, and a psychologist who deliver comprehensive medical care to those who do not have access to health services. Future physicians from the Miller School also gain first-hand experience promoting health education and preventive care, as well as programs that address health disparities.

The mobile clinic drives into at-risk neighborhoods and sees children and their families in schools, houses of worship, and community centers. When faced with complex cases, the team uses an innovative telemedicine program to engage physicians at the Miller School remotely.

The UM Pediatric Mobile Clinic began operations in 1992 soon after Hurricane Andrew’s devastating landfall in South Florida. Since then, health care service to disadvantaged communities has continued uninterrupted for nearly 28 years. In April 2019, a new mobile health clinic with advanced telehealth features and double the interior space was rolled out.

Lisa Gwynn, D.O., director of the Pediatric Mobile Clinic and the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation School Health Initiative, and associate professor of clinical pediatrics and public health sciences, said, “With growing demand for the mobile clinic services and ever-increasing health disparities among those served, support from corporate partners like Canon Solutions America makes all the difference.”

Canon Solutions America is one of several supporters of the UM Pediatric Mobile Clinic, including the Children’s Health Fund, The Children’s Trust, Comic Relief, Hand in Hand, Himan Brown Charitable Trust, Sol Taplin Charitable Foundation, and the Joseph and Sherrie Garfield Charitable Foundation.


Tags: Canon Solutions America, Dean Henri Ford, Dr. Lisa Gwynn, Pediatric Mobile Clinic