UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. — Inside the bustling hub of Delmar Divine, which hosts several of St. Louis' premier social service agencies, a remarkable story of hope unfolds. Dr. LJ Punch, a former trauma surgeon from Barnes-Jewish Hospital, has transformed his career into a lifeline for those impacted by gun violence through the groundbreaking Bullet Related Injury Clinic, also known as the BRIC.
BRIC is introduced to many by receiving the BRIC box, which gives people everything they would need to care for themselves after a bullet injury. A phone number is requested so that the BRIC can contact recipients within 24-48 hours to encourage them to visit as often as they can within the first seven days.
Clinic patients can expect the following services: Bullet removal, education on caring for wounds, supplies for wounds, a listening ear, education for changing lifestyles, resources for physical therapy, and advanced cognitive therapy.
Dr. Punch's love for people and science drew him to medicine and has allowed him to help in all these ways. People who visit the clinic receive transportation assistance as well.
"I met people on the worst days of their lives as a trauma surgeon. I was drawn to what it meant to stand there and help them through those really awful moments," he said.
Back in 2016, Dr. Punch attended a community event and spoke with James Clark, Vice president, at the time, of Better Family Life Inc. He said I decided at that moment to start a clinic.
Dr. Punch gained recognition for spearheading the "Stop the Bleed" program in St. Louis, teaching life-saving techniques to 10,000 individuals in the region.
" I had this frustration that everyone was having with conventional health care," Dr. Punch said. "Then I had this welcoming 'yes' from St. Louis itself to give more resources beyond conventional settings."
The success of the program fueled the birth of the BRIC in 2018, marking a significant shift in his career.
"So the first thing people come in, they don't have to sign a bunch of papers. They don't have to prove a bunch of stuff with their insurance because our care is free," said Dr. Punch.
Addressing the limitations of traditional care in the face of gun violence, Dr. Punch said, "I think that term doesn't get through at the ways in which bullets impact patients and their families, people who are physically injured and people who are simply threatened by a bullet."
Craig Collins, once living on the streets, found comfort and support at the BRIC after surviving a gunshot. Now, he is a newlywed with a stable job.
Craig's wife, Carla Collins said, "This was the first place where he experienced love. This was the first place that gave him hope when he had none."
Craig is among the 30 people working at the BRIC, some of whom are former patients at the clinic.
Betwain Cross, another grateful patient, commended BRIC for providing resources for therapy, counseling, and referrals, emphasizing the importance of facing trauma by talking out problems.
Cross said he spent two years with a bullet in his body.
"Doctors told me that if they couldn't take the bullet out because it would damage a nerve but Dr. Punch removed the bullet and nothing happened so that was a blessing to me," he said. "Hope is a big part of this place."
The clinic saw 15,000 visits in 2023. Homicides were down in St. Louis city in 2023 and BRIC saw a 25 percent decrease in referrals. But clinic visits were up.
"And that's exactly what we want to see, "said Dr. Punch.
The BRIC is funded by multiple organizations in the region, including the Office of Violence Prevention, Mental Health Board, Deaconess Foundation, Episcopal Presbyterian Health Trust, and other local and national funding.
"The real impact of the bullet is the way it breaks our trust and the only way to heal that trust is communally," Dr. Punch said.
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