Health clinic can better prepare children for school

Patrick Kunody

As a Costa Mesa resident and sixth-grade teacher, I applaud the

efforts of Children’s Hospital of Orange County and the Newport-Mesa

Unified School District for putting the health of children first. A

need to better serve

the health and well-being of

our pediatric population on

the Westside has clearly been identified, and CHOC and

the school district are attempting to tackle this problem by

placing

a much-needed facility at Rea Elementary School.

As an educator, I can tell you from experience that it is much

easier to teach and nurture children and help them grow into

respected members of the community if they are able to attend class

each day, and not be absent due to illness. Or worse yet, come to

school sick and expose other children to illness. Furthermore, if

children are in good health and able to attend school, their parents

will miss much less work, allowing them to improve their financial

situation and contribute back to society.

If we do nothing and continue to take a “NIMBY” position, never

will our community progress. It seems to me that CHOC and the school

district are helping to improve the value of Costa Mesa by ensuring

the health of our children, rather than contribute to its downfall.

I also believe it is very unlikely for families to travel to Costa

Mesa from other cities just because the clinic services are

available, especially since transportation is a big issue for many of

these families.

I also understand that many of the local families who may be

served at the Rea clinic are undocumented. I agree that this is an

important issue and should be debated at the federal level, but it is

not the issue at hand. My personal belief is that the children should

not be made to suffer and denied proper care, even if their families

are here illegally.

I welcome CHOC into

our community with open arms. How fortunate we are to

have a nationally respected institution like CHOC be a part of our

community. Let’s not refuse CHOC and the school district, but rather

rally behind them and let them help us support and improve our

community.

* PATRICK KUNODY is a Costa Mesa resident whose wife, Kim, works

as the marketing director for CHOC.