Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- For the second year in a row medical professionals and volunteers are providing free dental, medical, and vision care to people in need here in the Midlands.
Over 2,000 people were seen on Friday.
Since late Thursday day night patients have been lined up for care that they probably could not afford at SC Mission 2012, including marathon runner Fred Mullen.
Mullen said, "It has been many years since I have had an eye exam, I am presently unemployed and I felt like I needed to take advantage of this."
Mullen has participated in 25 marathons in his career and at 60-years old he is in relatively good health, he recently found himself without health insurance, a theme that Dr. Leon Bullard of Lexington Medical Center has seen a lot of.
Dr. Bullard said, "I think this is just the tip of the iceberg, I would imagine as we see the evolution of health care in the country, in South Carolina, and in our community, we are going to see more of these individuals coming to events of this nature."
The problems that Dr. Bullard and the other physicians are seeing are common for us here in South Carolina.
According to Dr. Bullard, "A lot of folks with diabetes and hypertension, a lot of them are not taking the medication, they don't have access to the medicine, they don't have access the follow-up visits that are necessary to be sure the medicines are working."
One of those suffering from diabetes was 62-year old Willie Reese, he came out for some medical attention that he otherwise could not get.
"No I couldn't afford this and I wish everybody in my neighborhood could have had this opportunity to come out here like me, because your health is real important," said Reese.
There are many more people out there just like Reese and Mullen and that is one of the reasons Dr Bullard knows his work is far from being done.
"It is an opportunity to provide care and as I said, this is an unmet need," said Dr. Bullard.
Patients wishing to get medical attention cannot park at the state fairground parking lot overnight and it is on a first come first serve basis, services will close when they reach a maximum capacity for the event.
SC mission is back open Saturday from 6 A.M to 3 P.M.