Published: August 20, 2008 10:55 pm            

The doctors will see you now

Docs That Rock raises money for health care

Dr. Eric Tuchscherer had no idea what he was getting into when his friends asked him to sing with their band three years ago.

“I’ve always been a shower singer, in-my-car singer. I never had any professional singing aspirations,” he said.

Before he realized it, he was the lead singer of his own band, Friar Tuch and the Wild Bunch.

While Tuchscherer isn’t ready to give up his practice for music, he enjoys performing with the Docs that Rock, a non-profit organization that raises funds for Project Access.

Project Access is a program that provides assistance to working-class individuals unable to get health care.

On Saturday, Tuchscherer and a number of his friends and colleagues from the medical community will perform at the Kokomo Country Club. Other bands include the BLUESberries and the Smooth Operators.

“[It’s] physician-donated care for residents of Howard County that work, but do not have health insurance and do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid,” explained Pam Wild, talent coordinator and member of the Project Access board.

Wild said more than 1,500 uninsured individuals have received help with X-rays, MRIs, lab tests, doctor visits, and long-term prescription medications, as well as diabetes support and other expenses.

She said physicians have been offering these services for a while, but they formally organized about four years ago.

Wild said Project Access helps the entire community.

“Whenever people go to hospital and don’t pay the bill, we’re the ones ultimately to pay for it, whether taxes or higher prices for health care,” she said.

“If you have a healthier working community, people will miss less work and be more gainfully employed,” she added.

Wild said she and her husband, Dr. Mike Wild, along with several others involved, wanted to make the fundraiser entertaining and show people a good time.

They decided to put on a show.

“It is a blast,” Wild said. “It is really fun. It’s a really casual event. You can dress up black tie or wear blue jeans if you like.”

Last year, they entertained more than 550 people with Blues, Classic Rock and some ’80s music. It’s a $50 donation to get in.

Wild plays the bass guitar with the BLUESberries band. Formerly in the marching band and choir, she loves performing.

“I think everyone sort of fantasizes about it a little bit,” she said.

The Docs that Rock raised more than $32,000 in 2007. Wild said she’d like to top that this year.

The band members also enjoy it, Tuchscherer said.

“It’s out of my comfort zone but when I get into character, I have fun,” he said. “They haven’t kicked me out of the band yet, so I’ll keep showing up.

“It’s just an opportunity to get up in front of a lot of people and entertain and raise money for a good cause,” he said.



If you go:

• Who: Docs That Rock

• When: 7 p.m. Saturday

• Where: Kokomo Country Club

• Cost: $50

        

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