6 Hardworking Groups Dedicated To Improving Health

Whether you're battling a serious illness or just looking for a good place to get general care, there are plenty of groups that can help you get the healthcare you need. In no particular order, this list highlights some of the many organizations, from large hospitals to nonprofits focused on specific maladies, working to connect patients to high-quality medicine.

Coming in at #1, we have Keck Medicine of USC, the University of Southern California's medical enterprise. It is one of only two university-based medical systems in the Los Angeles area and operates multiple hospitals in the region, including the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, which offers treatment, clinical trials, and patient education.

Keck has several specialization centers. Its Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute is committed to developing treatments for this neurological disease. It runs clinical studies managed by teams of researchers with expertise in biostatistics, psychology, informatics, and more. The institute also offers educational programming.

The #2 entry is Family Health Centers, a nonprofit community medical facility with several locations throughout the Louisville, Kentucky metropolitan area. Its services include adult primary care, pediatrics, women’s health such as prenatal care, dental, laboratory work, and radiology.

In addition to primary medical services, FHC offers health education classes focused on topics such as smoking cessation, aerobics, and diabetes care management. One of its locations, Americana, houses a refugee health program and is dedicated to serving a culturally diverse immigrant population.

For #3, we present HD Reach. This nonprofit is dedicated to providing access to healthcare, education, and social assistance for patients and families affected by Huntington’s disease. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, its Pathfinder program is a personalized, one-on-one service that provides patients, regardless of income or insurance status, with a partner to help deal with challenges related to life with HD.

The organization provides access to several resources that can help a person or their caretaker better cope with HD, such as information on current treatments and transportation and care options. HD Reach hosts a number of events throughout the year, including group support meetings and expert panels.

Next up, at #4, we have Women's College Hospital, a medical center in Toronto, Canada. It is primarily focused on women's wellness, health equity, and medical system solutions, such as preventative care. In 1961, it became a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto.

The WCH treats a number of ailments, such as diabetes, osteoporosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and more. The Peter Gilgan Center for Women's Cancers is a collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society, offering research, clinical care, and education about life-threatening diseases.

The next entry on our list, #5, is Stanford Children's Health, a health care system in the San Francisco Bay Area that is exclusively dedicated to pediatrics and obstetrics. It also offers medical care through dozens of specialty locations and partnerships with community hospitals.

Stanford Children's Health provides care in more than 150 medical specialties, such as brain and behavior, pulmonary, and transplant. The institution's Bass Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases aims to help children of all ages manage or overcome their conditions through a combination of care, research, and treatment.

Rounding out our list at #6 is Overcoming MS, a nonprofit that seeks to educate, support, and empower people with multiple sclerosis. Developed by Professor George Jelinek after his own diagnosis in 1999, the OMS recovery program suggests individuals eat a plant-based diet, take vitamin D supplements, exercise regularly, and meditate daily.

OMS hosts conferences and retreats throughout the year where participants can learn about its recovery program and meet others who have been diagnosed with the disease. Jelinek has written several books about his approach to treatment, including a cookbook.