We are living in very uncertain times, but these past months have been as much uplifting as they’ve been difficult. The immense response by healthcare workers fighting COVID-19 has spawned a recognition and appreciation for these frontline workers in a way in which we’ve never seen before. Hospitals have had shortages of protective equipment and, in some cases, their institutions just weren’t prepared for a worldwide pandemic. "This time has highlighted what doctors, nurses and healthcare providers are doing for the world right now," says Dr. Elizabeth Comen, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "I don't think there's ever been another time in society when we've called people healthcare heroes. I really think that so many of them on the frontlines are."
Public Appreciation
New York City was particularly hard hit and for a while was the epicenter of the pandemic. But the people in the city have continued an outpouring of appreciation for the healthcare personnel who’ve worked around the clock and risked their lives to help others. "Every night at 7pm people in New York City cheer healthcare workers," says Dr. Comen. "I have three children and they all come to the window and cheer as loudly as possible."
Read MoreValue In Helping Others
She says that she hopes that at least for her children, they will see the value of taking care of other people. "It's important that as a society, we recognize that the health of ourselves is also dependent on the health of everyone else around us," says Dr. Comen. "We are only as healthy as our poorest patients."The global pandemic has affected both minorities and underserved hospitals disproportionately, and what this really highlights is that as a society and globally, no patient should be left behind, she says. "And in many instances, that is what has happened in our current healthcare system."
Dr. Comen added that she is proud of her colleagues and that "I'd like to think I've been a good role model for my children."
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.