Cleanne Cass

Dr. Cass is a special volunteer who gives 24/7 as palliative care administrative director of the local Hospice facility and also finds time to volunteer with Reach Out of Montgomery County, OH. She also created and implemented Dayton’s first free wellness clinic for the uninsured. It is also the first and only medical student run clinic in the area. It is staffed with 3rd year Ohio University medical students in their clerkship family practice rotation. From September to May, 3rd year medical students along with oversight from the teaching faculty at Grandview Hospital, see well patients who need physicals for school, work or sports.

Dr. Cass saw the need as “well-physicals” were triaged out of the regular free clinics. The clinics were over capacity forcing the volunteer staff to “triage” well people out the door to accommodate for the ill patients. Dr. Cass suggested opening a different night and seeing “well” patients who are also in need and by the way “thankfully young and healthy.” She described it as therapy for the sole as she finished her daily task of coordinating death and dying patients at her hospice job during the day. For someone who has more than 33 years of medical practice, who lives to work, teach and volunteer I am amazed at her energy, her great sense of humor, and her dedication to pass the light on to those who try and follow in her footsteps. Dr. Cass is steps ahead but willing to step aside to teach and volunteer.