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Did you feel the way I did when you read the letter to the editor about primary health care in Albert Lea? I have been so proud that we have been moving forward in our community with new businesses, apartment buildings being built and a very optimistic future. But in health care we cannot say that. When a very sick person calls all around southern Minnesota and can only find a hospital bed 50 miles away and must be driven there at 12:30 at night by their son, that is not acceptable.

There is a group in our community that is trying to change things and bring back top-quality health care at an affordable price. That dedicated group is the Albert Lea Healthcare Coalition, and all of us should get on board too help them, which includes the school district and county employees. The coalition has had setbacks, but they have had terrific achievements. Raising millions of dollars and opening a first-class clinic has been an outstanding achievement, but they still have a long way to go, and we need to support them.

Wouldn’t it be great to have babies born in Albert Lea again where they can say they were born in Freeborn County, to have urgent care open until 8 p.m. and have ambulatory surgeries done here? And what if you need a hospital bed — it would be here instead of Fairmont, Faribault, Austin or some other place. The future is up to us — we will work for it.

Al Arends
Albert Lea