“My neighbor had said, ‘anyone can deliver a baby, but they [Neighborhood’s providers] take care of the moms’,” said Karen Peffer. 

It was 2005. Karen, who thought she’d never have children, was pregnant for the first time at age 34. She turned to her neighbor, a labor and delivery nurse, for a recommendation.

Karen was born and raised in Cheektowaga. When she and her husband got married, they mutually decided they were not going to have kids. However, at the age of 30, Karen got very sick.

“I had this realization that I may not be around very long, and that I wish I had representation of what me and my husband meant together.”

So, when she got pregnant, her neighbor told her about the doctors at Neighborhood Health Center. 

After having a positive care experience during her first pregnancy with Neighborhood’s OB-GYN team led by Dr. Michele Frech, Karen wanted the same team for her second pregnancy at 37. In September of 2008, Karen was 6 months (29 weeks) pregnant with her second child. Around that time, she caught a cold. One evening while she was making dinner she coughed, and soon realized she had begun bleeding. Once at the hospital, Karen learned that her baby was still with her.  

“I spent the next 51 days bedridden in Sisters hospital,” said Karen. “Just trying to give the baby more time in utero to grow.”

On day 48 of her hospital stay, Karen’s daughter was born. Karen shared that she experienced mother-guilt, as her baby could not breathe or swallow on her own. Karen could not hold her until she was 3 days old. Her daughter was in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for a week before they could take her home. Under the care of Dr. Frech, Karen said that she could tell it wasn’t just about saving her pregnancy, that Dr. Frech really prioritized that she was going to be okay as well. 

“I truly believe that Dr. Frech saved my life, and my children’s lives,” said Karen. “I wouldn’t have the life I have now without her.” 

Following her OB-GYN care experience, Karen and her family continued as Neighborhood patients for primary care as well as pharmacy, podiatry, dentistry, and behavioral health.

“Even my dogs get their prescriptions here,” said Karen.

Karen says Neighborhood’s mission appeals to  her and her family. She found that Neighborhood was serious about putting purpose and action into providing quality care for patients and creating equitable change in the community, with realistic goals and measures. 

During an appointment with Dr. Frech, an exam room poster calling for patient board members caught her attention. Fast forward and Karen is now in the second year of her second term on the board, and is a member of the Quality Assurance, Quality Improvement (QA/QI) committee.

“I love that there is always a discussion of ‘how are we doing, and how can we do it better’,” said Karen, about the board. 

When her first child was one year old, Karen was working in human services for an organization and was the sole wage earner for her family. Her employer at the time did not offer health insurance. Her experience on the poverty spectrum has led Karen to advocate for patients experiencing poverty through her role on Neighborhood’s board. 

“Working in human services for many years, you really see that people who are living in poverty don’t get nice things,” said Karen. 

She explained that being able to walk into a health center like Neighborhood, that is well-taken care of and where you are treated with respect, is humanizing. 

“I will speak truth to power,” said Karen. Karen is very open about her experiences, as she sees them as opportunities to spark change around her. In addition to advocating for equitable access to healthcare for those on the poverty spectrum, she also has a passion for advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and access in the healthcare system. 

Karen’s oldest child identifies as non-binary. Making sure that her kids have safe and brave spaces is very important for her. Karen has taken a special interest in participating in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice aspect of the board. She is very vocal and passionate about not just “checking a box”, but that everyone shows equal respect and openness to each other and to patients at the health center. She also recognizes that the organization is not perfect.

“I truly believe that there is an interest and a motivation from Neighborhood Health Center to do better,” said Karen. “Because of that, I continue to be committed to being a patient and to being on the board advocating for other patients.”