We are now offering telehealth Physical Therapy as well as telehealth services to individuals in Honduras. Please contact us if you are interested in our services or have any questions.
Our mission is to provide effective, pro bono physical therapy, social work, nutrition,
and speech therapy services to the under-served and under-insured population of western
North Carolina. We strive to improve quality of life, health, and function of our
clients while serving the community and fostering student education.
Physical therapists diagnose movement dysfunction that interferes with quality of
life at any age, design treatment plans to restore and optimize function and prevent
disability, and also promote healthy lifestyles and injury prevention by developing
fitness and wellness-oriented programs.
In collaboration with other healthcare professionals, social workers contribute to patient’s health and wellness by providing mental health prevention and treatment services with special focus on behavioral and bio-psychosocial issues. Healthcare social workers help patients with the emotional adjustment to their condition and work to improve quality of life.
Speech therapists diagnose and treat speech sound, swallowing, hearing, and/or language issues to help people communicate more easily. They also work to improve individuals' quality of life by helping people connect with one another through better communication.
Registered dieticians use food and nutrition to promote health and manage disease. They also make recommendations for diet and other lifestyle changes to improve individual nutritional status or achieve specific health-related goals.
Mountain Area Pro Bono Health Services serves uninsured or under-insured individuals in western North Carolina, regardless of socio-economic or health status.
If you do not currently have physical therapy coverage, please call for full eligibility details: 828-227-3527.
MAPHealth has two locations to serve our western NC community. Our newest clinic is located at the Western Carolina University (WCU) Instructional Site at Biltmore Park in Asheville. Through the generosity of Harris Regional Hospital our original MAPHealth clinic is located at PT Solutions of Cullowhee, located on the first floor of the Health and Human Sciences Building at WCU.
WCU Notice of Privacy Practices
Have you had an injury or illness that has limited your function or quality of life? Is pain limiting your ability to work or participate in activities you enjoy? Have you fallen or are you afraid of falling? Have you had an injury or illness that has limited your function? Have you had a stroke and are still trying to regain function?
Call 828.227.3527 to leave a voicemail and make an appointment. If you do not currently have physical therapy coverage, please call for full eligibility details.
Physical therapy services are provided by Doctor of Physical Therapy students under the direct supervision of licensed physical therapists.
Sandy Davis
Sandy is a physical therapist and board-certified specialist in pediatrics. She received
her Masters Degree in Physical Therapy from Western Carolina University in 1998 and
has been working with Harris Regional Hospital providing physical therapy to young
children since 1998. She serves as the Clinical Coordinator for Harris Regional Hospital's
pediatric rehabilitation services. Sandy also has a Masters Degree in Social Work
from the University of Georgia. Prior to working as a PT, she has 12 years of experience
as a social worker, primarily working with infants and toddlers with disabilities
and their families.
Zach Demeester
Zach earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from WCU in 2021. He now works
at RO Physio and Collective Fitness (co-owner), a CrossFit Swerve gym in Sylva, NC.
Zach takes particular interest in post operative management, return to sport, and
strength and conditioning. His favorite part about volunteering in MAPHealth is learning
from current DPT students and his fellow clinicians while offering healthcare to members
of the community who need it most. Zach is a big proponent of the DPT program’s annual
trip to Honduras; he has been every year since 2019. Outside of PT, he enjoys hiking,
mountain biking, and tennis, and his favorite local spots are Cosmic Carryout and
Innovation brewing!
Hannah Pollard
Hannah earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from Western Carolina University
in 2019, completed the University of Mississippi Medical Center Residency in Neurologic
Physical Therapy in 2020, and became a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurologic
Physical Therapy in 2021. She works for Mission Health CarePartners, predominantly
serving individuals in the home health and inpatient rehab settings. She is also an
adjunct faculty member in WCU’s DPT program. Utilizing the principles of neuroplasticity,
Hannah is passionate about working with individuals and their support systems to promote
neurologic recovery and maximize independence with functional mobility. Hannah's favorite
parts about volunteering in MAPHealth are collaborating with students to serve the
community and observing student growth each semester as they gain confidence, didactic
knowledge, and clinical experience. Outside of PT, she loves to play tennis, team
sports, traveling, river time, hiking, and making music, especially fun, PT inspired
songs!
Dave Hudson
Ashley Hyatt
Josh Jones
Katie Ollendick
Tammy Simmons
Andrew Sullivan
Todd Watson
"It can be hard to initially sacrifice the time on a Wednesday night when you have a busy week but the opportunity to work with the amazing supervising clinicians MAPHealth offers is unrivaled and has helped improve my clinical reasoning, my confidence on clinical rotations and my communication skills with patients. I truly believe volunteering in MAPHealth was the most valuable part of my didactic education. It reinforced what I learned in my classes and helped me prepare for working with people, which I realized was not as straightforward as I expected (despite all the "it depends" I already heard). Additionally, I found that the nature of having to defend my clinical reasoning and explain my thought process better prepared me for clinical rotations and the residency interview process." ~Anne Pursiful, Class of 2021
“It can be difficult balancing weeks of school and clinic but it’s what keeps me motivated and inspired knowing that I’m doing something I love while making a change in another’s life. The hard work and long nights are all worth it when you can see a patient progress throughout the semester while building upon our clinical reasoning skills. The more I volunteer, the more comfortable I become with the application of our knowledge and the progression of individualized care.” ~Emily Schaul, Class of 2022
Mountain Area Pro Bono Health Services Student Board members are elected each year from the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. This group of dedicated students is guided by faculty member Dr. Ashley Hyatt. The students' energy and commitment, along with Dr. Hyatt's experience and enthusiasm, make the clinic a reality. For more information you can view the Student Board Application.
The Mountain Area Pro Bono Health Services is made possible by your dedication and commitment. Please be a part of the collaborative problem-solving team by submitting your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions.