Apr 17, 2024
Since its opening in April of 2017, the Sukup Health Clinic has proven to be an invaluable asset to the Sukup community. The presence of the on-site clinic has undoubtedly been a game-changer, offering convenience and accessibility to everyone at Sukup.
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For veteran Sukup welder Bruce Brua, the onsite clinic at Sukup Manufacturing Co. in Sheffield is a symbol of life and most certainly second chances.
Bruce is a combat veteran with more than two decades in the service. He was surprised when he started feeling a little off while on the job last September.
“I have a high pain thresh hold. My first instinct was I’ll just work through this. This was a little anxiety. I lift weights and jog, but this wasn’t right.”
What Bruce didn’t realize; he was having a heart attack. Co-workers described his face as gray and ashen. His supervisor encouraged him to get checked out immediately.
“I got over to the clinic and got an EKG and stuff and within minutes... it was 50 minutes from the time I walked into a supervisor's office, and I was in the ER. Kind of a big deal. I had 90 percent blockage from the left arterial otherwise known as a widow maker. I came about this close to being dead. No symptoms.”
Bruce says Sukup Health Solutions was a good idea from the get-go.
“You get the sniffles, you get a sore throat…all my healthcare is in Mason City, so it saves me a lot of trips.”
But in Bruce’s case, something far more serious demanded attention.
"I would have been waiting for Hampton to show up, about 45 minutes by the time they transported me, and you know you got the golden hour is what they always preach. So, I really think the benefit of having the clinic was good."
Today, Bruce is grateful to the staff at the Sukup clinic. That September day could have looked very different had he not had the convenience of care and what he considers a divine intervention while on the job,
“It’s a blessing.”
