Francis Essien, D.O. (’18), met Bryan Grooms, D.O. (’11) during his first year working at Campus Care and the OMM lab. Grooms remained in Athens after graduation to complete his family medicine residency at O’Bleness, and they quickly found commonalities and connections beyond medicine, deepening their bond over days training in the gym.

They stayed in touch until their shared passion for humanitarian work and desire to give back brought them together again in 2021 to create Let’s Be Frank, a non-profit working to improve medical access in Ghana. Essien had always wanted to return to his community and help in a tangible way and knew Grooms’ experience volunteering both locally and internationally would dovetail. Though progress stalled during the pandemic, they’ve now established teams here and in Ghana, and partnered with four rural clinics - Tanga, Israel, Ofinso, and Ahwrease - to evaluate and improve access to health care in those communities.

Let’s Be Frank has finally gained approval from the Ghanaian Ministry of Health to build a hospital, but that larger goal stands in the backdrop of the clinics’ immediate needs – often a clinic has just one blood pressure cuff that gets passed around or one headlamp to aid nighttime delivery when electricity goes out. Though each clinic has a different set of problems, they share several common challenges like failing infrastructure, inadequate staffing or lack of medical equipment.

What can the alumni of Heritage College do to help Essien and Grooms help others? It’s simple, says Essien. Fellow alumni can offer education and training for staff members in Ghana, send equipment or donate to specific clinics, or reach out to get involved in Let’s Be Frank.

Looking back on his time at HCOM, Essien says meeting Grooms is his favorite memory, as Grooms support and friendship helped him find the strength to continue his studies.

Here in Alumni Relations, we constantly hear how relationships form the backbone of our graduates’ memories and are a major motivator to do better each day. Please share with us how you’ve seen your HCOM connections have an impact on your life, career and in our communities as we work together. Email Yumi Choe at choe@ohio.edu to share your stories.