Acts of Courage, Kindness & Humanity

As a child, my mother would frequently remind me that every human being was created in the image of God. Every life has equal human value and sorrow has no hierarchy. It is in times like this that we as friends, strangers, colleagues, and individuals must come together to celebrate our differences and our foundational similarities.

Healthcare providers come from all different political persuasions, different backgrounds, from different races and genders, from every corner of the globe.

But when it comes time to provide care to another human being, none of those things matter. They are simply caregivers.

We have always considered healthcare workers to be heroes because of people like Juwan VanBuren, Sr., individuals who answer the call to help others when they need it most. Recently, Juwan finished his shift at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital and was stopping to buy groceries for his family when he saw black smoke nearby.

An Emergency Medicine Technician, Juwan quickly drove toward the smoke where he discovered a multiple-car accident with eight victims. Juwan began performing triage on the individuals involved, then provided lifesaving CPR on a critical patient, bringing back a pulse before turning the individual over to an ambulance crew.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen that same kind of selflessness in caregivers demonstrating courage, compassion and humanity on a daily basis. Their work strengthens my belief that we will get through this crisis together and be better for it. Whether caring for a patient, supporting a colleague, or comforting families, they represent the very best of frontline caregivers.

In the early days of the pandemic, Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital was contacted by another institution about a COVID-positive patient whose condition was quickly deteriorating. Cleveland Clinic Weston cardiothoracic surgeon Nicolas Brozzi, MD, was given emergency privileges at the South Florida hospital and took his team to place the patient on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), an advanced life support machine not widely available.

The patient was then transferred to Cleveland Clinic Weston while on ECMO and after a few weeks, was discharged to recover with family at home. The courage and commitment Dr. Brozzi and the team demonstrated exemplifies what can be accomplished when we collaborate.

Our caregivers have also demonstrated compassion in ways big and small. When one of our patients with COVID-19 was being cared for at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, respiratory therapist Constance Bates held his hand before he was intubated and said a prayer with him.

Danielle Brewer, RN, BSN, who works on the COVID unit at Cleveland Clinic Martin South Hospital, demonstrated that empathy and support are not just reserved for patients. When a fellow nurse and friend contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized, Danielle stepped up to help the family with childcare, shopping, and household duties.

Their acts of kindness provided comfort to patients and families, at a time when they needed it most.

These individuals embody the spirit of healthcare providers. Throughout this pandemic we have seen those values in caregivers across the healthcare spectrum. Regardless of what their role may be – environmental services, nutrition services, registration, security and others – they are performing essential work in helping patients recover during this pandemic. I ask that we allow them to serve as examples to humanity.

Each life touched matters. Each act of courage and compassion makes a difference. We can offer hope and show that good can come even in the darkest of times. Let us remind ourselves that at the end of the day, each of us is simply a human being trying to help another human being.