Dr Nada Hamad

SENIOR STAFF SPECIALIST CLINICAL, TRANSPLANT AND LABORATORY HAEMATOLOGIST, ST VINCENT’S HOSPITAL

When Dr Nada Hamad, a staff specialist haematologist at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital, heard rumblings of a pandemic, it was more than just gathering storm clouds. “It was so distressing for us, because bone marrow transplant is extraordinarily difficult.” As head of the Bone Marrow Transplant Society for Australia and New Zealand, among other roles, she leads coordinated efforts to secure life-saving stem cells that sometimes offer the sole option left to those suffering from blood cancers. She had to move swiftly.

“We went into hyper-drive, getting the message out around selfisolation, hand hygiene and minimising contact,” she says of her patients, who are immune-compromised and extremely vulnerable to infection. Every consultation was switched to telehealth mode. Zoom lessons were given by patient secretaries, and visiting family was, heartbreakingly, locked out of wards to further safeguard those in her care. Dr Hamad called near-daily meetings over resourcing, worrying particularly over access to ICU beds (10 to 20 per cent of transplant patients need one after their procedure), knowing full well what happened to ICU capacities overseas.

Another issue also materialised. “Eighty-five per cent [of donor stem cells] come from international sources, from Europe and the US, and all of a sudden those countries were hit and the borders were closed,” says Dr Hamad. “We were struggling to get the cells.” She knew delays can end in tragedy. With most planes grounded, couriers were forced to take trains, buses and even taxis to get precious cells across borders. There was also a decline in donor numbers. More people were sick and therefore ineligible, and of those who were still eligible, many were understandably reluctant to go near a hospital.

Thankfully, the curve in Australia flattened. “It has offered us an opportunity to make sure that we don’t close our transplant facilities – some countries have had to.” Opening up a direct line of communication with the Commonwealth, Dr Hamad had success in speeding up cell deliveries and, combined with exploring alternative donor options, she has been able to keep treating her patients, although with the spectre of Covid-19 ever-present.

Dr Hamad notes the high proportion of women working on the front line – they make up around 70 per cent of healthcare workers, hence they also face higher risk of virus exposure. “I think there are not many opportunities like this to shine a light on the skills that women can bring to the table,” she says. “I think it will be demonstrated that women are very capable, and very prepared for leadership.” AB

Jo Brigden-Jones

AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC KAYAKER AND NSW AMBULANCE PARAMEDIC

“I probably found out that the 2020 Olympics were cancelled only a day before the public. I was shocked, then upset and disappointed.

“Being chosen to represent Australia at the Tokyo Olympics in sprint kayaking and to also achieve my dream career of working as a paramedic has been a long road, one that began in childhood.

“I was 12-turning-13 when I was selected for an elite program to train in kayaking, and my desire to become a paramedic was there from about the age of 10; I remember being fascinated by ambulances as they zoomed past and wanted to know what was going on inside.

“After school, I started a nursing degree as a stepping-stone to paramedics. It was challenging juggling sport and study, but I never thought about giving up, and in 2012 I qualified for the Australian team for that year’s London Olympics. Going to the Games was an incredible experience and I left knowing I had to do it again.

“My other focus at the time was my career. I started a part-time post-graduate course in paramedics and in 2015 I graduated, which was amazing for me, but the following year brought disappointment: 2016 was the year of the Rio Olympics, and I hadn’t made the team.

“That setback was the first time I’d thought about quitting kayaking for good. Having started working as a graduate paramedic, I decided to apply myself to the job. But my time competing wasn’t over. I was still drawn to keep paddling and, eventually, that led me to qualifying for the 2020 Olympics earlier this year. Then the pandemic arrived.

“My first encounter with a coronavirus patient occurred around late February. I was in the ambulance that had to attend one of the first cases of the virus in Australia. We knew it was coming, but suddenly it was that moment of realisation that: ‘Oh wow, it’s here, it’s real.’

“Returning to full-time work as a paramedic has been a good distraction from the Olympics being put on hold, and I feel lucky to work in an essential job and to be able to help our community.

“It is also really nice to know people are realising that what we do every day is very important. Members of the community are going above and beyond to show their appreciation because they know we are working overtime to get Australia through this crisis.

“As for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, I think they’ll be even better, because of what everyone has been through. It will feel like the world coming back together – a celebration through sport.”

As told to Cushla Chauhan

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, CLOVELLY PUBLIC SCHOOL, SYDNEY

“The biggest challenges have been the lack of face-to-face, the huge increase and upskill in online learning and also just taking down those walls of being filmed. It’s hard sometimes when you have your own teaching style, and you can do and say and act as silly as you want when it’s your own class – but when you know you are being watched by all the parents, it’s trying to keep that: ‘It’s still me, Ms Tulip here!’, and: ‘Let’s do this sound!’

“[The parents] have been amazing. They’ve bought us two days’ worth of free coffee at our local cafe. They have been incredible.

“I just miss [the kids] so much … I think for kindergarten I can’t even imagine what they might be going through. Because this is their first year at schooling, where we have only really had eight weeks and they have got into such a good routine – this has just shattered their world.

“The days I come into work, I will find something on my desk; a little card, a drawing or an artwork made by a little child at home and they have begged their parents so they can come and drop it off.

“I am in this profession because we are here to provide, not just a safe space, but a safe learning space for children to come. Children need to be learning, so you just have to do what you have to do. If everyone were to say: ‘What about me? I have to look after myself’, then we wouldn’t have any grocery-store workers, we wouldn’t have any food, we wouldn’t have any doctors or nurses or anyone helping us.” AB