Street Medicine
Doctors Outreach supports educational, artistic, and medical initiatives dedicated to individuals who suffer from chronic, transitional, episodic, and/or hidden homelessness.
Special Projects
After years of street medicine, Dr. Dolhun began collecting the portraits and stories of over 120 of his unsheltered neighbors in San Francisco, a documentary short film FOG was born. The film premiered at the SFJAZZ Center on January 21, 2022.
FOG has been selected to nine film festivals and received two awards: Thomas Edison Film Festival Jury’s Choice Award and UNAFF Grand Jury Award For Best Short Documentary.
"I came to California seeking a better life." -Amber
"I can't find a place." -Rocky
"I used to be a teacher." -Shawn
"I almost finished law school." -Yoda
"I never thought this would be me.” -Loren
"No words might be wise." -Michael
"Holidays are the hardest." -Sean
"I used to be a home owner." -A.K.
“So here I am.” -Perry
"Random acts of kindness are better than random acts of violence." -Michael M.
"I still play the trumpet" -Sherry, MFA Berklee College of Music
"I am originally from the Ukraine." -Casey
"I have been homeless since childhood." -Anthony
"Violence is no good way of life." -Gary
"A young doctor gave me $5 and a coffee. I wrote her a poem." -Scotty
"I came from Wisconsin thirty years ago." -Sheryl
“My motorhome broke down.” -Michael
"I was born in London." -Alison
"I've lived a strange and varied life." -Lael
"I found so many parallels between my life and Siddhārtha Gautama." -Sean
"At twenty-four I was paralyzed." -Casey
"I was an investor and lost everything in the Great Recession." -Kevin
"I learned people are afraid of me." -Lisa
"I used to be a merchant marine." -Angelo
"Home is where the heart is." -Joe
"Out here you either have to give up your dignity, get your hands dirty or risk your freedom." -Benjamin
"I’ve been homeless most of my life. I usually chill and hang out." -Tony
"Been homeless for a couple years. Started out as a spiritual quest." -William
"I dream about being an astronaut." -Jackari
"I live outdoors because I love to." -Alvie
"Got mixed up with the wrong people." -Chris
"I look after the community." -Julius
"Worked in a union for 20 years. Been homeless for a month." -Marcus
"We all need a helping hand from time to time." -Jennifer
"I'm tired." -Reginald, US Air Force, retired
"I am trying to get basic health care." -Joyce.
"I played football in high school." -Richard
"Its hard being homeless." -Jennifer
"Fortunately, it hasn’t broken me." -Anthony
"I came here from Las Vegas because it was too hot." -David
"I write romantic poetry." -Gary, USMC, retired
"I have three wonderful children." -Sasha
"I can't find work." -Manuel
"Been homeless for ten years." - Dylan
"I spend my days in the library." - Zach
"I prefer anonymity." - B.
"This is Fiona." -Raven
"If there is any sign you are homeless, they don’t let you in." -Apple
"My story is long and windy." -Dennis
"I live outdoors because I am picky." -Terrance
"I wanted to be president of the United States." -Douglas
"I'm not going to give up and keep pushing and hoping something comes out good for me." -Michael S.
"I came to San Francisco for love." -Jason
"Abuse forced me into homelessness." -Jenny. "I was hit by an IED." -Andrew, USN, retired
Bringing Humanity and Humility to the Homeless in San Francisco.
If you live in, work in, or visit San Francisco, you will encounter individuals living outdoors, often in tents and boxes, sometimes with just the cover of a blanket.
We believe that health and homelessness are linked in critical ways. We have brought our skills as healthcare professionals to the streets. Essential to medicine is obtaining an accurate history, an accurate story. To best treat a patient, an accurate diagnosis is essential. Moreover, If one does not understand the small details, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the complexity of any given situation.
Our goal is to promote humanity and compassion at the individual and communal level. Our intent is apolitical and not designed to promote or encourage any specific agenda. The work is not prescriptive. It is descriptive.
We hope that these narratives spark dialogue and encourage reflection so as to better address the question, “How can we do better?”
Facing Homelessness Together
Over two years, Eduardo Dolhun M.D. captured the portraits and interviewed hundreds of unsheltered individuals living on the streets of San Francisco.
Thirty-one larger-than-life photographs were on public display in San Francisco from December 18th, 2021 to February 26th, 2022. The photographs were on the corner of Franklin and Fell St. across from the SFJAZZ Center.*
News Coverage
*All individuals consented to having their stories, video interviews, and photographs publicly shared. Every individual was homeless at the time of the interview. Our project began in the fall of 2019 culminating in the exhibition and film, but our work for the unsheltered continues.