She learned it when, racked with grief over the death of her 40-year-old sister, Lynn Grogan, she began searching for a more meaningful mission in life than the general practice of medicine.

Inspired by her sister, a Methodist minister, Weaver left her practice and offered her help to a group from First United Methodist Church of Cary trying to begin a medical ministry.

Within six months, Weaver was the CEO. She didn't know much about the nonprofit world, but she'd had experience setting up Harps Mill Internal Medicine in North Raleigh and she'd been treating adults for years.

It was a perfect fit. Perfect for Weaver, and for the community.

The result was Alliance Medical Ministry, a nonprofit clinic providing modestly priced care to uninsured working adults who don't qualify for government assistance.

Within its first five years, Alliance has amassed a regular patient list of 5,600. Last year, the ministry clocked 13,000 patient visits.

This year, Weaver expects patient visits to top 20,000.

Unfortunately, the need among the uninsured in Wake County surpasses even Alliance's vigorous growth.

"We could easily fill every examination room in this building," she said.

Instead, though, Weaver has studiously tried to expand with care. "We are in this for the long haul," she said. "We don't want our growth to get out ahead of our fundraising. We want to maintain what we started."

So far, they've been more than successful. In addition to an army of 250 volunteers, Alliance relies on a mix of individual, corporate and church donations; grants from private foundations; in-kind donations from area hospitals; and patient fees.

According to the group's annual report, 98 percent of Alliance's patients live in households earning less than $30,000 per year but pay the $10 or $25 co-pay for each visit. This fee includes all lab work and medicines.

Thanks to donations of samples from other doctors' offices and prescription companies, Alliance provided more than $600,000 worth of prescription drugs free.

The savings are astonishing. The average visit to Alliance costs $78; the average visit to a hospital emergency room, $1,100.

But what's really remarkable about Alliance is the way it establishes the doctor-patient relationships people without insurance seldom enjoy. Through those relationships, Weaver and Alliance's other doctors are able to encourage patients -- a third of whom have diabetes -- to work on diet and exercise, rather than just respond to crises caused by high blood sugar.

Last month, Alliance moved to a renovated church on New Bern Avenue, right off the Beltline. Right along the bus line.

The move more than tripled the size of the main clinic. It added a gymnasium and acres of land that will soon be transformed into a walking track and meditation garden. All part of Alliance's larger wellness plan.

In the new building, there is also a cheery reading room with materials about every diagnosis from diabetes and hypertension to cancer and chlamydia -- all in Spanish and English.

The room is named in honor of Weaver's sister, Lynn Grogan.

For more information about Alliance, visit www.alliancemedicalministry.org or call 250-3320.