The Making of
House Call for Humanity
2017
JAN – FEB
Global Rise of Musculoskeletal Diseases (MSK)
Careful and meticulous review of medical and other health related research demonstrates a need to augment current strategies in pain management. The need to effectively treat the global rise of MSK (musculoskeletal) diseases and disorders becomes urgent.
2017
MAR – MAY
The Initial Idea
An idea was gathering momentum to create a platform to facilitate the provision of proven, but perhaps underutilized, medical interventions by licensed practitioners that could produce high yield in terms of portability, accessibility, sustainability, cost and results.
2017
AUG – SEPT
Licensed Health Care Services
Manual medicine becomes the emerging focus of study for the provision of safe, sustainable and effective licensed health care services to relieve pain and to treat MSK conditions of poor and underprivileged people, both locally and abroad.
2017
SEPT
It’s Official
House Call for Humanity Association is registered as a Canadian Not-For-Profit Society with the Government of British Columbia. House Call for Humanity is legally incorporated with its first Board of Directors appointed.
2017
OCT – DEC
Meetings & Discussions
HCFH begins discussions with various organizations working in Vancouver’s downtown eastside, centre of homelessness and North America’s opioid crisis.
2018
JAN – FEB
South Asia
HCFH begins discussions with various medical experts in South Asia regarding the provision of licensed manual medical care for MSK conditions of poor and underprivileged people.
2018
MARCH
Inaugural Tour Overseas
Two directors of HCFH undertake inaugural tour overseas, completely funding their own expenses, to recruit medical doctors, therapists and volunteers under the HCFH banner. HCFH conducted its first medical camp for treatment of the poor in a rural village in Punjab, Pakistan.
2018
MARCH
Local Medical Doctors
HCFH doctors team with local medical doctors, various therapists and dozens of volunteers to successfully and effectively provide free treatment to over 34 patients suffering from various MSK-related disorders and conditions, and supply over 50 extremely poor households each with a 1 month food ration kit, in rural villages of Punjab Pakistan.
2018
APRIL
Government Recognition
HCFH receives media and government awareness and recognition in Pakistan for the volunteer works conducted.
2018
SEPTEMBER
Back at Home
Discussions with local First Nations communities underscores the need to have a strong relationship and regularly scheduled presence with local First Nations in order to provide access to licensed health care services currently not available to their band members, or currently severely underutilized due to numerous barriers.
2018
JAN – FEB
Information & Education
HCFH sets up a 3 day-long information and education exhibit booth at a British Columbia primary health care provincial AGM and Professional Conference. Dozens of serious and committed licensed primary health care providers sign up to HCFH roster to become available for providing charitable treatments to poor and underprivileged people locally and abroad.
2019
march
Sustainable Healthcare
HCFH Directors and members fund their own tour overseas to set up its second medical treatment camp under the HCFH banner in rural villages of Punjab, Pakistan. This time with the enthusiastic assistance of a greater number of local doctors, therapists and volunteers. The model of ‘sustainable healthcare’ is conceived and developed.
2019
august
Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
HCFH is invited to participate in the opening of a community care centre located in Vancouver’s downtown eastside, to guide and assist its mandate to feed the poor and homeless, and provide treatments for those suffering with acute and chronic pain, MSK-related disorders, and the affliction of addiction.
2019
september
MSK Disorders
HCFH begins groundwork for providing manual medicine treatment for the homeless, poor and marginalized people living in Vancouver’s downtown eastside, for treatment of their pain and MSK-related disorders. This model in direct response to current research and the recent recommendations of Canadian government’s 2017 Policy statement to provide ‘non-pharmaceutical treatment options’ for chronic and acute pain, particularly for those suffering addiction to opioids and opioid-like drugs.
2019
october
Medical Treatment Camp
HCFH hold first manual medicine treatment camp in Vancouver’s downtown eastside providing licensed treatments free of cost to dozens of poor, homeless and marginalized people.
2019
november
Building Momentum
HCFH doctors hold second successful manual medicine treatment camp in Vancouver’s downtown eastside treating dozens of poor, homeless and marginalized people, resulting in a significant growth in local community involvement & volunteering.
2019
december
Expanding in the NFP Sector
HCFH Board of Directors expands with appointment of 3 new Directors all highly experienced in the local Vancouver NFP sector.
2020
JANUARY
Digital Systems to Scale
HCFH officially launches new website complete with a communications platform for building its database and roster of volunteer licensed healthcare professionals, community volunteers, private donors and corporate / government sponsors.
2022
NOVEMBER
CRA Charitable Tax Status
HCFH applies status as a registered Canadian charity that can work locally and abroad.
Thinking and Moving
2024 & BEYOND
Dr. Gohar Sheikh
Founder, Chief Director
As Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors of HCFH it is my privilege and pleasure to share the vision and plans of the entire organization for 2024.
House Call for Humanity has been planning for 2024 over past three years, putting into place a foundation that is both robust and adaptable to facilitate scalable growth and development, and to help our organization and all its volunteers start to reach our true potential.
HCFH looks forward to the explosive growth in its number of volunteer doctors as a direct response to the numerous professional outreach programs we have planned for each quarter of 2024. During the course of the year, the Directors of HCFH will hold a number of key information workshops for doctors and volunteers to be held at professional conferences, AGMs and Doctors’ clinics. This will help to further recruit, organize and deploy the growing roster of licensed health professionals to the most needed and underserved areas, areas where HCFH medical treatment camps will make the most meaningful difference in the lives of the people it serves, and in the lives of the people volunteering their time and service.
HCFH is eagerly awaiting a successful response from CRA in regards to official Charity Status application. This will allow for Tax Exempt Receipts to be issued for donations and will officially initiate the fundraising schedule and corporate donations campaigns.
HCFH will of course continue its primary work by holding its first treatment camps at First Nation communities, initiating links with correctional institutions for providing inmates access to treatment, expanding to larger and more regular medical treatment camps at homeless shelters, and building towards the climax, the 2024-2025 South Asia Tour!
At a Glance
what
To facilitate the provision of necessary healthcare services to underprivileged people in the world
who
Doctors & healthcare professionals that lend their skills to care for people locally and abroad
when
Registered with the Canadian government as an incorporated not-for-profit society in 2017
Why
The rising costs and burden of musculoskeletal pain, consequences of drug abuse & limited access to necessary treatment due to poverty
where
Working with leaders to serve underprivileged communities across North America and South Asia
how
Partnering with government agencies & community organizations to match licensed healthcare professionals with people in need
