Meet our founder, Curtis V. Cooper.

In 1971 a group of citizens in West Savannah expressed concern that health care on the west side of town (Savannah, GA) was almost nonexistent, particularly for residents with little or no financial resources. This concern was underscored by the exodus of hospitals and physicians to the more affluent south side of the city.

At this time, a young biologist with the Department of Agriculture in Savannah, Curtis V. Cooper, was asked to take a leave of absence from his job in order to complete a feasibility study which eventually led to the birth of Westside Comprehensive Health Center. The Center saw its first patients in 1974 from a make-shift building on West Bay Street. In 1975 a newly constructed Roberts Street location became operational with Curtis V. Cooper serving as Executive Director.

In 1977 a group in downtown Savannah established the Urban Health Center at 115 E. York Street in a stately, nearly 100 year old building which served citizens in Savannah-Chatham County, GA until 2003. Urban Health Center, which was also federally funded, was a separate organization from Westside Comprehensive Health Center. In 1981, federal authorities announced that they would fund only one health care entity in a city the size of Savannah, but would support a merged organization. This led to the combined organization, Westside-Urban Health  Center, Inc. Dr. Cooper’s tenure as leader of the organization continued until his death in January of 2000.

On March 12, 2004 the ribbon was cut on a brand new state-of-the-art health care center at 106 E. Broad Street. As soon as ground was broken for this new facility in 2002, the Board of Directors, staff and citizens throughout Savannah and Chatham County knew that the organization should bear the name of Curtis V. Cooper. 

Dr. Cooper distinguished himself in his City, State and Country by service as a long-time leader of the Savannah Branch NAACP; a sixteen year member of the Memorial Hospital Board of Directors; service as chair of the Memorial Board of directors; service as a member and chair of the Chatham County Hospital Authority; a member of the Georgia State Access to Health Care Commission; the Georgia Health Strategies Council; an officer and member of GAPHC (Georgia Association for Primary Health Care) as well as a member and ardent supporter of NACHC (National Association for Community Health Centers) based in Washington, DC. He served on countless other banking, civic and organizational boards such as United Way, Greenbriar Children’s Center, Economic Opportunity for Savannah-Chatham County, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and the Chatham County Development Authority.

While Dr. Cooper was unable to fulfill his dream of serving his fellowman as a medical doctor there is no doubt regarding the positive impact and footprint that he left as his legacy.