For Charles, a proud Ward 8 native, living with high blood pressure once felt overwhelming. “My blood pressure was through the roof,” he recalls. “I was eating okay but not like I should. I wasn’t managing things the way I needed to.”
Things started to turn around when Charles was connected with Malaysia, a community health worker at Community of Hope. For the past three years, she has been by his side, helping him monitor blood pressure, encouraging healthier food choices, and even finding creative ways to make medication easier.
Charles admits he does not like taking pills. Understanding this barrier, Malaysia connected him with a pharmacy that pre-sorts his daily medications into easy-to-use pods. “Now I can just pop them out, take them, and keep it moving without sorting through everything. It’s made everything a lot easier.”
And it’s not just his medication. Charles is also eating better these days. He’s a regular shopper at Arcadia’s Mobile Market near Community of Hope, where he picks fresh produce to support healthier eating.
Community of Hope’s program has expanded due to a grant from United Health Group, allowing Malaysia and other community health workers to reach more patients. What began as a program focused on uncontrolled hypertension has grown to include people with hypertension, diabetes, and asthma—whether their condition is controlled or not.
This means community health workers can support patients working to get healthier and those working to stay healthy.
For Malaysia, it’s an opportunity to build deeper relationships and have a greater impact across her community. Community health workers offer vital services: health education, help accessing care, informal counseling, and advocacy. But above all, they walk alongside patients in their healthcare.
For Malaysia, this is what it means to be a community health worker: showing up in everyday ways that help patients live healthier lives.“Sometimes I’m linking patients to resources or showing them how to use a blood pressure monitor. Other times, I’m just being a listening ear. However I can show up best, that’s what I do.”
Today, Charles feels more confident and energized. “My blood pressure is at a great level now. I have more energy and can do more,” he says. Most importantly, he knows he has someone in his corner. To Malaysia he adds: “Thank you for everything you do. Keep up the great work—you’re making a difference every day.”
At Community of Hope, we know most health happens outside the doctor’s office. That’s why community health workers like Malaysia—deeply rooted in the neighborhoods we serve—are so essential. By bridging trust, breaking down barriers, and standing alongside patients like Charles, they help our community live healthier, fuller lives.
As Malaysia said, “Eighty percent of clinical outcomes come from the community, not just from the doctor’s office. That’s why having people like us—who understand the environment and the barriers—is so important.”
