Primary Health-Care of Charlotte is the home of nonprofit Wellness, Wholeness, Holiness which launched in 2010. Betty Marlin, RN, BSN, MSN, CNS, founder and owner, is the host of the weekly cable TV show Wellness, Wholeness, Holiness and a weekly radio program on WDRB. Called by God and opened the first community nursing center serving the uninsured and under insured 38 years ago. She states, “We knew from valid research and 59 years of professional nursing practice that there is such a desperate need for physicals, first-aid, testing, self-care counseling, health education for disease prevention and abuse intervention in low-income neighborhoods.”

Through her nonprofit, Marlin offers free care to those needing to monitor their blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and weight from 3 to 6 p.m. on the third Friday of each month. Plans are underway to republish the wellness calendar (supplies wellness tips and education) and an open house and free annual holistic health physicals for college students and job seekers is planned on August 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (advanced appointments required for physicals).

The thorough physicals provided in this annual event will address all body systems with wellness and preventive care principles. For years, she has provided free vital sign screenings at community health fairs to promote healthy lifestyle and Wellness Nook Demonstration Centers in churches to promote healthy meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Marlin’s latest project is expanding and renovating a large industrial kitchen with a Diabetic Heart Kitchen and Teen Wellness Nook to promote wellness dietary habits for chronically ill community members, especially the unserved and underserved. She says, “We will be presenting lifestyle alternatives for healthy intentional eating through education and hands-on meal preparation and demonstration. Clients will be screened for blood sugar, urine results, weight and vital signs before and after eating, and they will be active participants in meal preparation.”

Marlin explains, “They will see how their screening results improve over time by eating a healthy diet. Testimonials will be shared to encourage others. Group mentoring, family counseling/education, responsible life choices and teen empowerment discussions, and the importance of fitness and staying active are also addressed in these programs.”

The Wellness, Wholeness, Holiness concept differs from competitors in that clients are in charge of their own health decisions, not diagnostic-related groups (DRG), a system used to classify patients into categories used by Medicare and health insurance companies to determine reimbursement rates. DRGs determine the medical protocol to be used. “They learn by example to prepare healthy meals hands-on versus being told what to do. They can see the lab results of their effort onsite; decreased blood sugar, blood pressure, etc.,” says Marlin.

“Our biggest business accomplishments have been praise reports of lowering blood pressure, blood sugar and obesity through natural food education and an educational health care calendar. Our biggest challenges are funding to complete the kitchen remodeling, appliances and freezer, refrigerator walk-in units.”

The Diabetic, Heart Kitchen and Teen Wellness Nook started by dispensing healthy food boxes from Marlin’s garden and grew into free community food dispensing programs such as The Bulb.

 People may donate to the nonprofit by check made to Wellness, Wholeness, Holiness and mailed to Primary Health-Care of Charlotte, 508 Beatties Ford Rd., Charlotte, NC 28216 or on Cash App referencing phone number 704-975-3850. For more information, visit GetWellnessCare.com.