Alaska WWAMI Student Discusses the Brother Francis Footcare Clinic
In Anchorage, Alaska, the Brother Francis Shelter transforms from a place of rest into a space for connection, compassion, and healing as Alaska WWAMI students and community volunteers welcome guests to the Brother Francis Footcare Clinic. The clinic offers free foot care to community members, including many experiencing homelessness.
“Twice a month, we go to the Brother Francis Shelter, a local nonprofit shelter in Anchorage, where we spend the evening washing and inspecting the feet of anyone interested,” service learning project co-lead and second-year medical student Kyle Stone explains. “Aside from washing feet, the main goal of the event is to connect with those from around the community and give them someone to talk to.”
Participants are greeted with warmth and dignity. Volunteers—ranging from high school students to medical students to retired physicians—wash feet with soap and warm water, soak them in Epsom salt, and check for blisters, sores, callouses, or other issues. After their feet are cleaned, the individuals’ pulses, strength, and sensation are checked using a standardized diabetic neuropathy test, with the results recorded by a designated scribe. Each encounter concludes with lotion, a fresh pair of socks, and advanced nail care for those who need it. “The Footcare Clinic is entirely free and everyone is welcome,” Stone says. “Anyone can do it, and the training is quick and easy, but the most important thing is to come with an openness to communicate and listen.”
For Stone, the experience is about far more than clinical practice. “Since participating in and leading the Brother Francis Footcare Clinic, I’ve gotten to interact with a whole host of individuals from all different walks of life,” he reflects. “I’ve noticed students and volunteers become more open to speaking with people they may not normally interact with, and I’ve watched people connect on an individual level as they realize we’re all really not so different.”
Those moments of connection can be deeply meaningful. Stone recalls one evening when a guest shared that they had walked two miles to and from work through the snow before arriving at the clinic. “They were so thankful to have us there volunteering,” he says. “What stood out to me most was how similar we were, and how well we connected. This is someone with whom I may not have ever interacted otherwise, but thanks to the Footcare Clinic, I got to meet and connect with an individual that I could easily see myself in.”
Beyond the personal impact, Stone sees the clinic as a vital service to Anchorage’s unhoused population. “Many of these folks walk anywhere from 5–20 miles a day in the sun, rain, or snow in Alaska’s volatile climate, and taking care of their feet is paramount to their health,” he says. “That’s why the Footcare Clinic is so important.”
For Stone, the experience continues to shape both his perspective and his purpose. “I really wish people knew how satisfying and fulfilling the Footcare Clinic is,” he notes. “I don’t think I’ve ever walked away from a session wishing I didn’t go. I come away each and every time with new experience and lessons that help form my identity as both a person and future physician.”