BRADSHAW, WV (LOOTPRESS) – After devastating floods swept through Bradshaw, faith community nurse Melissa Coleman refused to let disaster halt her mission.
For years, Coleman has provided health screenings, education, and spiritual support at her nurse-led access to care point within the Bradshaw Church of God.
When floodwaters destroyed the church—along with homes, businesses, and medical supplies—she adapted.
“When I walked into our church after the water receded, my heart sank,” Coleman said. “Everything was ruined — the supplies, the medical equipment, the quiet space where people came to talk and pray. It was all gone.”
Rather than waiting for rebuilding efforts, Coleman took her services on the road.
She set up makeshift clinics in parking lots, community centers, and on people’s front porches, using just a blood pressure cuff, a stethoscope, and a commitment to serving her neighbors.
“I realized that the need doesn’t stop just because the building is gone,” she said. “If anything, people need us more now than ever. They’ve lost their homes, their medications, their sense of stability, so I’m going to them.”
Coleman has partnered with the WVU School of Nursing to replace lost supplies.
“We know that lack of trust is a major barrier to care in Appalachian communities, but having Melissa embedded and trusted within the Bradshaw community is making all the difference,” said Dr. Angel Smothers, Associate Dean for Community Engagement at the WVU School of Nursing.
With donations coming in and volunteers stepping up, Coleman remains hopeful that her access point will one day be rebuilt.
In the meantime, she continues to serve her community with resilience and compassion.
Funding for the supplies and the faith community nursing program is made possible by donations from the Hutson Family Foundation.
Support for Faith Community Nurses is awarded through the WVU Foundation, which receives and administers private donations on behalf of the university.
