Front-line heroes: showing perseverance
Seventh in a series of profiles highlighting people on the front lines of COVID-19
Businesses have reopened. People are starting to travel but still, we have health care workers, first responders and others working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
Who are these masked heroes who have shown great strength and endurance during this crisis?
Each week, for the past two months this Macomb Daily series has highlighted these extraordinary citizens and what they’re doing to help not only people in our community but also the individuals that they work alongside in the hospitals.
This week’s installment of hero profiles, include:
Monica Buckner, R.N.
Supervisor of cancer care and rapid treatment at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital
Monica Buckner of Chesterfield Township supervises the chemotherapy infusion center at the Henry Ford
Cancer Institute, as well as the hospital’s Rapid Treatment center, which provides supportive outpatient infusion for patients outside of chemotherapy, including hydration, blood transfusion or iron infusion. The Cancer Center has provided services to a steady volume of patients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, visitors are restricted from the Cancer Center to help maintain social distancing during chemotherapy infusions. Monica credits the great team that she works with for providing a calm, warm, welcoming and safe atmosphere for patients to receive treatment.
Mya Bellinger
Airman First Class with the 127th Wing’s Civil Engineer Squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township
A native of Frakenmuth, Michigan, Bellinger, who is among the service members who have maintained the generators at a COVID-19 center, is an electrical apprentice who has been stationed at SANG for over a year. Her role in keeping the electrical systems running for the coronavirus testing center in Dearborn has been a 24/7 mission.
“We are continuously providing preventive maintenance to ensure the testing center can continue to operate,” Bellinger said. “I joined the Michigan Air National Guard because I come from a military family and I’ve always wanted to be able to give back to my community.”
Ryan Liddy, R.N.
Patient care services unit manager at McLaren Macomb in Mount Clemens
Liddy, who is a Clinton Township resident, never imagined the extent that COVID-19 would test his nursing skills.
However, when the coronavirus gripped southeast Michigan’s health care system he drew on the experience he had and as a floor nurse working during emergencies provided the care needed during the sudden surges of critical patients.
Asked to run two COVID units with two full nursing staffs, Liddy was able to create an organized and collaborative team of nurses across multiple units, keeping them focused during extraordinary times to continue to offer compassion and provide the best possible care to the patient.