Doctor gives the shoes off his feet to a patient in need

“What size shoe do you wear?”

It isn’t a typical question one expects to hear at a medical office, but it was one that a caregiver at a PeaceHealth clinic in Eugene, Oregon felt compelled to ask when she saw a patient wearing shoes that were painfully too small.

After gently making the inquiry to see if the patient would like a more comfortable pair, Chrystal Work, the data coordinator lead for the Unified Care Clinic at University District, was prepared to head upstairs to check the dignity closet stocked with apparel and other personal support items for anyone in need.

Lola Buckwald, a patient access representative, saved her the trouble and let her know that she and other team members had already checked and had found nothing suitable.

About that time, Joseph Simon, MD, one of several providers at the clinic, overheard the conversation and asked what size the patient needed.

Dr. Simon just happened to be wearing that very same size. Without hesitation, he promptly pulled the shoes off his feet and graciously said “have mine” as he handed them to the astonished and grateful patient.

Chrystal said the patient was “very appreciative and loved the shoes,” which the doctor claimed were nothing fancy—just a pair of comfortable slip-ons.

In his stocking feet, Dr. Simon walked out of the clinic that day and hopped on his bicycle to ride home, forgetting the spare dress shoes he keeps at his desk.

Dr. Simon credits inspiration from his years at Meharry Medical School in Nashville, Tennessee whose mission is “Worship of God through service to mankind.”

“I think that aligns well with the PeaceHealth Mission,” he said. “The man was suffering. I had the means to help and I was happy to do so.”