By Chris Rosa

The company name says it all — Share.

Last week, Susan Vincent began a company that is designed to help those in need of medical equipment and supplies. What separates this company from other medical supply companies is that the equipment that Vincent gets is donated and she turns around and donates it to those who need it.

She wants to “share” the equipment with others in need. No money is ever exchanged. The equipment or supplies are given or loaned to the individual in need.

If a family has an extra wheelchair, crutches or bed in the house doing nothing, Share will try and put them in contact with someone who needs one of those items.

“I know some families can not afford to buy a wheelchair or a walker that they may only need for a couple of months,” said Vincent, who is a single mom with four boys. “This gives them a phone number (337-453-0541) to call in order to get a wheelchair or a walker. Medical equipment is expensive.”

Vincent, a certified nursing assistant for 14 years, got the idea to start the company because of an experience her family had with wanting medical equipment. Her niece, Samantha Bourgeois, was born with Spina Bifida and needed lots of medical equipment. Her family needed a bath chair for her. She could not find one, and the family had to purchase a used one.

That incident got her thinking that she was probably not the only one who experienced this problem.



“I realized that Vermilion Parish did not have a program for free medical supplies,” she said.

Vincent got the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 26 involved in her medical program.

Pam Hernandez and Marian Davidson of the Auxiliary Unit are volunteers who help Vincent.

She began getting the word out about the company last week, and already she received 27 phone calls from people who have equipment and supplies, or those in need of something.

“A lot of family members do not know what to do with the equipment after it has been used,” she said. “I have seen walkers by the road. It is sad, because they do not know who to give it to that can benefit from it. Now, they can call Share and we can put them in contact, with who may need a walker.”

If anyone has equipment they want to donate or are in need of, they can contact Vincent at 337-453-0541.