A Tucson mobile clinic is traveling across the city to provide free medical care to residents who struggle to access traditional healthcare, including those experiencing homelessness.
Wellness on Wheels brings doctors directly into the community, offering medication, treating injuries, testing for infections and connecting patients to Medicaid and other resources.
Sabino Tomborra, who was formerly homeless, said he witnessed firsthand how difficult it was for people living on the streets to get medical attention.
"There's a large homeless population that are living there out in the street and homeless that don't have any access at all, and they're not even able to contact the doctor," Tomborra said.
Tomborra said the lack of access often led him to delay care for serious issues.
"It's frustrating when you can't get in to see a doctor," Tomborra said. "It makes you just want to say, 'The heck with it, I'm going to wait six weeks, or I'll just live with it.'"
That reality is part of what motivated Dr. Susan Hadley to work with Wellness on Wheels.
She says the care she gives here has saved lives that would've been lost if Wellness on Wheels hadn't stopped by the neighborhood.
"We've had several injuries that people have had that were very serious that we were able to treat on here," Hadley said. "Had they not gone to the hospital, they could have ended up with infections and gotten more sick."
For Hadley, the work goes beyond treating physical ailments.
"Just the feeling of being able to provide that kind of assistance in our community is huge for me," Hadley said.
For Tomborra, the clinic offered something he said was hard to find while living on the streets — a sense of dignity.
"I feel like you live in the judgment zone a lot. I mean, you become an invisible person. No one wants to look at you, no one wants to see you. Here, there was no judgment. Come as you are — we're going to treat you and run tests. You felt normal," Tomborra said.
More information on the Wellness on Wheels, including service locations and treatment options can be found here.
—
JJ McKinney joined KGUN 9 in July of 2025 as a multimedia journalist. He graduated from Colorado State University in May of 2025 with a degree in journalism and media communications and a minor in law. With a background in investigative reporting and documentary filmmaking, JJ is dedicated to giving a platform to the voices of his community. Share your story ideas and important issues with JJ by emailing jj.mckinney@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
