05/12/2026
30 YEARS OF PROJECT ACCESS; In 1996, a local Buncombe County physician decided enough was enough. Dr. Suzanne Landis recognized that patients needed specialty care they could not afford. Folks would pay for an office visit but neglect costly imaging, surgery, and labs. Their health and well-being was suffering due to lack of insurance coverage and increasing costs. Dr. Landis took matters into her own hands and started visiting local providers, imploring them to donate their time, care, and energy. Miraculously, they did and still continue to do so.
This is the power and the story of Project Access.
Over the years, thousands of Buncombe and Madison County neighbors have enrolled in Project Access. Neighbors who are uninsured and Medicaid ineligible have gained access to free or reduced specialty healthcare totaling more than $200 million. Her brainchild is a pillar of the healthcare community in our area and has been replicated 200 times nationwide, all because a dedicated physician dared to put a bold idea into action.
Project Access is rooted in the belief that everyone, absolutely everyone, deserves the dignity of medical care. Without our community partners, donors, and volunteer providers, this program would not continue to exist.
Won’t you take the bold step to partner with us to ensure that Project Access continues to positively impact WNC neighbors for another 30 years? Donate now by visiting https://www.mywcms.org/ and clicking on DONATE NOW so we can keep this critical program going.
(WCMS is a 501(c)(3) organization; further information is available on our website.)
