Medical clinic that services musicians runs out of grant money

NEW ORLEANS - Cristian?Duque relies more heavily on his hands than you may think. A?professional, full-time musician, Duque?plays to pay the bills.

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"It's always tough, always wondering will?I have enough gigs this week, this month, this?year. There's no retirement plan, no insurance," he said.

Now with a wife and a 10-month-old baby in tow, Duque relies more than ever on the non-profit New Orleans Musician's Clinic, aimed at keeping the artistically gifted healthy and happy - and the music alive and well.

"The value is the not stressing about it, because the stress will kill?you in the end," he said.

The clinic works with the?LSU Healthcare Network to offer free and low-cost, full-service care to about 1,600 musicians and their families, 80 percent of whom are uninsured.

"They have hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, carpel tunnel syndrome but it affects them many times in different ways because they are?dependent on being healthy so they can perform," said Dr. Cathi Fontenot, medical director for the clinic.

Grant funding is critical to operating the clinic, but a three-year, $2 million federally funded grant has just run out. Private donations are almost non-existent, and the clinic is being forced to cut back.

"We had to cut from one day to the next all psychiatry services, counseling, we had to reduce the?dental program," said Catherine Lasperches, nurse practitioner for the clinic.

Despite the scramble to draw private donations - and the vows from the medical staff, many of whom volunteer for the clinic, that they will?do what they can to maintain primary care - musicians like?Duque fear their livelihoods could be at risk.

"If the?musician's clinic closes you have a lot who have to give up what they do, and God forbid get sick and be forced to give it up against their will," he said. "And that's going to?kill the soul of the city."

Founder Bethany Bultman is appealing to locals, as well as businesses and private foundations to come to the clinic's aid, to make sure the soul of the city continues to survive.