GREENSBORO, N.C. — Since she was young, North Carolina A&T graduate LaToya Lucas has always had a heart to help others.
"My ultimate goal is to take care of the least of these. I am a big champion of taking care of those who cannot fully take care of themselves. I can’t stand a bully, so I just want to be a champion for those who can’t stand up for themselves that’s my mission in life," LaToya Lucas said.
As a certified nurse practitioner from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Lucas noticed the discrepancies in access to healthcare, especially during the pandemic.
"One of the things we learned during COVID was that there was not a lot of availability for people to get their healthcare. So they were people who did not get healthcare, who were unable to go to an appointment for a year or two because there was just no availability or the offices were closed. That’s really why I started," Lucas recalled.
In 2021, she opened her own nurse-practitioner-owned primary care practice called Lucas Exceptional Healthcare and Consultation.
“We are a small practice with a big heart, so we want to come to you and make sure that you are getting the time and the attention. I’m not gonna rush you through your visit. I’m going to give you the time that you need to sit down and talk about your health care needs and I’m really going to pay attention to what you say," said Lucas.
Lucas' goal has always been to be a part of her community’s health and be it a physical, referral, or a home visit she will try to do it all. One day, Lucas hopes she can offer so much more.
"I want to be able to offer services for people who just can’t afford it. I would like to be able to have a clinic where people can come in and get all the resources they need and don’t worry about having to pay it all," Lucas said.