Celebrating a Year of Expanding Mobile Lab Diagnostics in California

When wildfires devastated California in January 2025, Heart to Heart International stepped in immediately with critical aid, delivering hygiene kits, masks, protective equipment, and oral rehydration supplies. But true disaster recovery extends far beyond immediate relief. As urgent needs subsided, we transitioned our focus to long-term community health support.

We partnered with Fully Alive Community Health (formerly Medical Missions Adventures), a local mobile healthcare organization serving under-resourced communities. In August, HHI teams traveled to California to install point-of-care laboratory technology in their mobile clinic and provide training for the staff.

This point-of-care technology and training enables clinicians to deliver diagnostic results in minutes instead of days, eliminating major barriers to care like transportation costs, missed work, and delayed treatments.

Over the past year, Fully Alive Community Health has performed testing for more than 100 patients, primarily monitoring HbA1c levels for diabetes, lipid panels for heart health, and hemoglobin levels. These quick tests are changing lives:

• A “complete 180” for diabetes management: One patient whose uncontrolled diabetes might have gone unnoticed was able to see her results instantly. Empowered by the data, she took charge of her lifestyle and healthcare journey.
• Catching what was missed: A couple diagnosed as prediabetic two years prior hadn’t received a follow-up test. Minutes after testing, staff identified elevated levels, discussed immediate dietary adjustments, and connected them to free long-term care.
• Healing beyond the clinical: At a local health fair, a grieving father who recently lost his son was encouraged by his daughter to get screened. The quick test revealed a high HbA1c level, creating a compassionate space for clinicians to offer emotional and physical guidance.
• Peace of mind for seniors: An elderly patient with limited access to regular doctor visits received prediabetes screening on site, sharing that immediate answers offered her immense peace of mind.
• Family-centered health: A mother who brought her children to the clinic was excited to use the on-site testing to get answers for her children’s health. She was so moved by the experience that she volunteered to support future events.

As our partners shared, “These patient encounters would not have been possible if not for the accessibility of testing… This wouldn’t have been possible without Heart to Heart International.”

As the diagnostic equipment remains permanently with Fully Alive Community Health, HHI celebrates their ongoing commitment to expanding accessible, high-quality care throughout their community.