April 2020

In early March 2020, a cruise ship carrying passengers afflicted with COVID-19 docked in Oakland, California, and many of the patients were sent to the hospital where Liz Durkin, M.D. ’93 works as a palliative medicine physician.

“These patients were fortunately not critically ill, but we were aware early of the challenges for staffing and PPE [personal protective equipment] in caring for COVID-positive patients,” said Durkin, who works at Permanente Medical Group in northern California. “Our palliative hospital teams have been working on preparedness for a possible surge in cases for the last two months, including new workflows relying on virtual visits, even with hospitalized patients, to minimize the need for PPE in the room. We have also been working on educating other physicians and team members on how to care for patients at the end of life in a compassionate and dignified manner.”

As the COVID-19 pandemic has spread across the United States, Scranton palliative care physicians and nurses are a vital part of caring for patients and supporting their families in isolating circumstances. Both in Scranton and on the West Coast, Royals in palliative care are using technology to maintain connections among patients, families and care teams. And they have been bolstered by community support in times that are unnerving for patients, families and health care workers alike.

Palliative care is not the same as hospice care, which begins after treatment for a disease concludes. While both these methods aim to keep patients comfortable, palliative care is for anyone with a serious or chronic illness and is best begun at diagnosis. Palliative care physicians and nurses, working with specialists who provide curative treatments, help patients understand their choices for medical treatment and recommend treatments that can help control symptoms and improve quality of life.

“In palliative medicine, our goal is to make sure that we are inclusive of all of a patients’ beloveds, which usually includes meeting them in person and having large family meetings to discuss the plan of care for a patient,” said Lauren Nicholls, M.D. ’11, who works at Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton. “We make it a priority to break down any barriers between families and the medical team.”

Patricia Wright, Ph.D., a University of Scranton nursing professor, said that palliative care is especially important for patients with COVID-19, since there is no immediate cure and it is life-threatening for some patients.

“Palliative care is often incorporated into the treatment of chronic conditions, but it becomes even more important when a disease is potentially life-threatening,” said Wright, who specializes in community health and hospice care. “In cases of COVID-19, the challenge is to hope for the best while preparing for the worst, meaning that even patients with mild symptoms should be invited to develop an advance care plan in the event that their condition rapidly worsens.”

Working with patients and family members to do just that has become more challenging during the pandemic, according to Nicholls. Her hospital has a no visitors policy in place, unless patients are dying. But patients dying of COVID-19 are not allowed visitors for fear of passing on the disease to family members.

“Now, in addition to the physical barrier of distance between us and the family, we have the physical barrier of the PPE between us and the patients,” Nicholls said. “The entire manner in which I typically connect with families has been disrupted. To make up for the lack of physical contact with patients and families, I have been relying on the telephone far more and making sure to relay the little things, such as get-well cards made by local children for our ICU patients, to let families know that their loved ones are not just another name in a bed; they are a whole person, being loved by our team in their absence.”

In Oakland, Durkin is employing similar phone and video communication methods with patients’ families, especially elderly patients who are without their usual support systems in hospitals with restricted visitor policies. Here in Scranton, Laura (Pikulski) Marion ’92 is the assistant vice president of Allied Services Hospice and Palliative Programs in Scranton, and she is working with patients in their homes, nursing homes, or the organization’s hospice care center. She’s helped implement telemedicine virtual appointments for patients and helps them stay connected to their families with video calls instead of in-person visits.

“We’re rewriting policies almost daily as things change so quickly with the Department of Health and the CDC. Some days trying to manage, learn, read, and share all the information is exhausting, and the days are long and I tend to be weary,” said Marion. “Loved ones aren't seeing their family for two to three weeks, elderly are isolated and no one is immune. Healthy people are being stricken by this virus. This is not hype; this is real and it is highly contagious.”

Durkin shared Marion’s concern for the elderly and isolated patients, as well as the health care workers treating them.

“I think the hardest part of this is the unknown,” said Durkin. “I am vulnerable to this infection, and even otherwise healthy individuals may have poor outcomes when faced with this disease. We are usually able to have the perspective of ‘distance’ from our patient's illness, but not in this case. We are all vulnerable.”

Even in the face of fear and unknown, Marion said people in the Scranton community are rallying to support both patients and health care workers.

“Folks reaching out to offer to make homemade masks and donate, local restaurants offering to feed our nurses and staff, donations of food being dropped to the hospice center,” Marion said. “There are folks offering to sit and make phone calls to our home patients to make sure they are not isolated. Amazing things are coming out of this on a daily basis.”

Meet some of our Royal Responders in this slideshow.

Hear from Kelly Sarti Wroblewski ‘02, director of infectious disease programs for the Association of Public Health Laboratories, about the COVID-19 testing landscape.

WHO: Kelly Sarti Wroblewski ‘02, director of infectious disease programs for the Association of Public Health Laboratories

MAJOR: Medical Technology

ADDITIONAL EDUCATION: Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University

HOMETOWN: Moosic, PA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Silver Spring, MD

FAMILY: Husband, Ed, and sons, Eddie, 8, and Calvin, 4

Kelly Wroblewski’s role in the pandemic response can be likened to that of a detective in a war zone. As a director in a public health network, she’s worked both quietly behind the scenes yet vocally on the frontlines. Her primary weapon has become the holy grail in this battle: the long-awaited COVID-19 test.

Wroblewski’s daily tasks differ from those of other scientific groups responding to a public health emergency. Public health laboratories, present in every state, monitor the collective health of the public and inform the care of the population rather than the individual. An organizational leader in the national network of public health labs, all of which were on high alert awaiting from the CDC the assay, or chemicals, that would detect the virus, Wroblewski and her crew have been first responders in another sense of the word. That’s because, in the early days of the virus, only public health labs were allowed to run testing. She became a vanguard, however, in getting all critically needed hands on deck.

Having begun her career at a microbiology lab at a small Pennsylvania hospital before taking a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health working on antimicrobial resistance then earning her MPH and working in the clinical lab at Johns Hopkins, Wroblewski has participated in many outbreak responses. So while COVID-19 is a novel virus it’s familiar ground for her.

She kicked her leadership into high gear after Jan. 18, the day on which the CDC detected the first case of the virus in the United States. Much of her role then was to work the phones furiously, assessing whether individual laboratories were ready with the necessary supplies and equipment once the assay was released and the labs could then “test the test,” so to speak, before themselves administering it.

Because of the now-well-known problems with the first released test and the initial prohibition on private labs doing testing, Wroblewski made an unprecedented move as the country awaited some positive news: She wrote to the FDA asking for permission for public health labs to make their own tests.

Because the first case in the United States with untraceable origins confirmed that COVID-19 had taken root here, the FDA essentially agreed, permitting advanced labs to develop their own tests.

This was a watershed moment for public health laboratories, and Wroblewski was at the forefront.                         

Royal News (RN): Kelly, it can be said that you are working in an epicenter of the fight against COVID-19. You recently told NPR that the situation with testing in America was “a giant mess” but that you were trying to remain optimistic that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. In the few weeks since you’ve spoken to NPR has the availability and effectiveness of the rapid test increased your optimism on the testing front?

Kelly Wroblewski (KW): The rapid molecular test is certainly another welcome tool in the toolbox, but, like many other testing supplies, there are limits to the availability of reagents, and it is not going to be the best fit for every setting. We continue to increase and improve capacity, but we still have room to improve both in terms of testing capacity and testing strategy. We are making progress, though.

RN: Early on, just after the virus hit the United States, the initial test fast-tracked by the FDA was considered glitchy at best, and it wasn’t until late February that a new test finally showed up. Can you tell us a little more about the mood in your sector during those waiting days?

KW: There was definitely an anxious vibe. We roll out and implement new tests with some frequency, and this had never happened. So there was a certain amount of disbelief and a lot of anxiousness as the public health laboratories waited for some resolution to the problem.

RN: Are the right people able to receive access to the rapid test right now? And, if not, who are the right people who should be receiving access?

KW: The rapid test has opened up testing, but it’s by far not accounting for the bulk of the tests being performed. The rapid test is really best used in settings where a there isn’t easy access to laboratory testing and a fast result is needed to inform decision making. Examples include places like rural critical access hospitals, nursing homes or prisons.

RN: What needs to change right now when it comes to testing?

KW: We need a high-quality, well-vetted antibody test. More than that, we need a thoughtful, feasible testing strategy that includes implementation details. Up to this point we’ve been so reactionary; we’ve been reacting to a new problem every day. We need to take the time to build plans with some scientific rigor behind them.

RN: Can you describe your emotions after you essentially got the ball rolling with the FDA so that public health labs could work independently on their own tests? We’d love to hear of your excitement as well as your fears.

KW: A few things happened at once. As they opened up the pathway for laboratories to develop their own SARS-CoV-2 tests, FDA and CDC also dropped the problematic component of the original CDC test. So in the end, most of the public health laboratories moved ahead with the CDC assay. My primary thought at the time was pushing to make sure public health labs brought a test on as expeditiously as possible. It was exciting to be involved in shaping policy in that way. I really look forward to the after action and thinking through how we use some of these actions to build a system that allows us to do better in the future.

RN: The testing landscape – at least in terms of who was allowed on the mat – essentially went from public health laboratories flying solo to private laboratories and eventually the private sector all contributing. What’s the next best step in this battle – for everyone involved in testing?

KW: We are going to need all hands on deck for a long time. It goes to what I said before about developing a thoughtful strategy. All of those laboratories from point-of-care testing sites to hospital labs to commercial labs to public health labs have a role they are best suited to play. Defining those roles and ironing out the logistics of getting the right specimens to the right labs is going to be key to ensuring we are using all of our laboratory resources most efficiently. It will be a critical component of this next phase.

RN:  Is this the fight of your life so far? Can you tell us how your Scranton education armed you for it?

KW: Someday, I am sure it will all sink in and I will feel that way. Really though, I’ve been taking it one day at a time, addressing the problem in front of me to the best of my ability and moving on to the next one. Scranton, for me, struck that perfect balance between being challenging and supportive. I never felt coddled and worked really hard. At the same time, I felt that my professors wanted the very best for me and therefore expected the very best effort out of me. It’s that sense that putting forward your best effort is going to yield good results.

The University of Scranton was selected to the Catholic Volunteer Network’s 2020 “Top Schools for Service,” a list of just 29 elite Catholic colleges in the nation noted for the expression of their commitment to service. Scranton is among the seven schools selected in the Mid-Atlantic Region and is among 13 Jesuit colleges listed in all four regions of America.

The national list of “Top Schools for Service” recognized “campuses who have demonstrated consistent excellence in collaborating with our network and championing post-grad service among students.” According to Catholic Volunteer Network, the recognition celebrated “the women and men who serve in Campus Ministries, Service-Learning and Social Justice Offices and Career Centers at colleges and universities nationwide” who make long-term commitment to service by students possible. The Catholic Volunteer Network honored the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice.

“The University of Scranton is delighted to be among the select universities in the nation recognized by the Catholic Volunteer Network for the ways in which we encourage in our students a commitment to service,” said Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president. “Our Catholic and Jesuit mission is central to the transformative education we provide to our students to inspire in them a passion to serve others for the greater glory of God and the betterment of human kind.”

In addition to the community-based academic learning service projects that are part of a course, student volunteers assist community agencies and participate in numerous campus service projects, many of which are organized and facilitated by the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice. Service projects also include those completed by members of the University’s 85 student clubs which are required to complete at least three service events each academic year. Patricia Vaccaro serves as the director of the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice.

Each year, more than 2,800 Scranton students volunteer for more than 175,000 hours of service. In addition, each year members of the University’s graduating class commit to long-term service projects with nonprofit organizations and underserved populations throughout the country and internationally. Catherine Seymour, campus minister, coordinates the University’s post-grad service program.

Scranton’s previous national recognition for its commitment to service includes being named among just 361 colleges in America to earn the highly-respected Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Engagement Classification. Scranton has also been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

Catholic Volunteer Network, the leading membership organization of Christian volunteer and mission programs, fosters and promotes full-time domestic and international faith-based volunteer service opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds, and skills.

Colonel (R) Richard H. Breen, Jr. ’77, past president of the University's Alumni Society Advisory Board, is the director of Strategic Communications for the Military Health System (MHS), Department of Defense, at the Pentagon. In this capacity, he directly supports the assistant secretary of defense for Health Affairs and the director of the Defense Health Agency in all aspects of Military Health communications. He is coordinating all the military medical communications activities for the MHS during the COVID-19 crisis. 

The MHS is responsible for the delivery of health care to more than 9.5 million beneficiaries eligible for the military health care benefit worldwide through 53 hospitals and more than 400 medical and dental clinics, as well as all health policy for the department. It serves as medical advisor to the White House, conducts an extensive research and development program, manages the education and training of all military medical personnel, leads a military medical university called the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and conducts coordinating activities with all federal agencies including the Center for Disease and Control, Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The MHS consists of Army, Navy and Air Force medical departments, a joint staff surgeon, the Defense Health Agency and the University.

During COVID-19, he is coordinating all strategic planning, operations and tactics impacting medical issues for the 9.5 million beneficiaries, managing two of the five largest DoD websites (health.mil and Tricare.mil), conducting media training, interfacing with the media, pitching stories and responding to media inquiries, leading a customer service interface program, managing a newsroom, developing outreach products for strategic partners, managing several social media platforms and serving as the senior communications advisor to the entire worldwide Military Health System.

We asked him a few questions about his work and life during COVID-19.

What does your day-to-day look like and how is that vastly different from what it looked like before the crisis?

The greatest challenge is the higher level of intensity in the daily mission and managing both the speed and accuracy of timely, critical information in an environment that changes by the minute. My day starts at 0545 hrs. (5:45 a.m.) when I receive my first media reports from the previous 24 hours. Then I work with my media team to conduct an analysis and prepare to brief senior leaders on media engagements daily at 0730 hrs.  At 0800 hrs., I set the day's priorities for my team of more than 80 people. At 1015 hrs. daily, I hold a communications operations call where I receive updates from the team on worldwide communications missions.  These include a situational overview of how the department is managing the crisis and the impact of the communication, the critical information that needs to be disseminated to both beneficiaries and stakeholders worldwide and updates on programs, policies and activities. 

Throughout the day, there are numerous meetings, briefings, discussions, strategic advising and project guidance provided. At 1700 hrs. (5 p.m.) I have a leader’s recap, review the missions of the day and begin the plans for tomorrow. Then at 1800 hrs., I go for a long walk with my wife Lorrie (Marywood University '78), return to my computer and respond to the more than 300 emails I received throughout the day. Today’s biggest challenge (Friday, April 10) is a major media presser in the Pentagon Briefing Room. 

Obviously, Communications and outreach are incredibly important at this time.  How do you ensure that the entire country hears your message?

Great question and a hard question. Fortunately, my communications team has a good network and series of communications tactics developed over years of hard work, planning and outreach. The challenge is not the delivery or the dissemination of information. The real challenge is sorting through conflicting information from multiple sources to consolidate the most accurate message to be delivered to our various audiences.

Testing of the COVID-19 virus, access to care, canceling elective surgery, waiving co-pays, limiting pharmaceuticals and communicating a 500 percent increase in calls to our 24/7 nurse advice line require focused communications. Just think of the stories. The deployment of the USNS Comfort and Mercy hospital ships, the establishment of Army field hospitals, the activation of National Guard and reserve medical units, the early graduation of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences medical school and graduate school of nursing, the research efforts to find a cure and the education of the military medical force are stories we try to tell worldwide.  And we use multiple channels: media, our two websites, video conferences with stakeholders, internal communications, gov. delivery email blasts, video messages, daily leadership messages, graphics, are some ways.  Sending products to stakeholders and encouraging them to share our communications message are also key to success.

Bottom line. Consistent, accurate, timely and credible information delivered fast over many channels contributes to success. The challenge is getting this data and validating it. And we are always looking at ways to cut through the massive news clutter. It is a real challenge. The key is finding the right, unique story that grabs the interest of the audience.

How are you coping, personally, with what is going on right now?

Keeping everyone on my team focused, encouraging personal time and family time, emphasizing exercise and movement and sometimes using comedy to put some leverage into the day. However, we experienced a tragedy recently.

On April 2, my media relations chief, Kevin Dwyer, died in his sleep. This was not COVID-19 related.  At 51 years of age, the previous night, he had completed a long bike ride, spent time in his yard and called his sister saying what a great ride he had. When he did not come to work on Thursday, I sent the Alexandria, Virginia, police to his home where they found him in bed. Single with no health issues at all, we were stunned. On Friday morning at 0800 hrs., I conducted a phone call with my team to break the news to them. The hardest part is we are all separated and cannot grieve as a team.

I can handle a long day. I’m a soldier, and I have served in several crises. I am devastated at the loss of both a colleague and friend, especially during the Easter season.  So, I pray a lot and do all I can to encourage my team to honor his memory through our work.

How have you relied on your training?

I totally rely on my training and experience. I was the senior spokesman as an Army Colonel on the grounds of the Pentagon for the first three weeks after the attack on 9-11 and conducted media training to the New York National Guard in New York City.  As the senior Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, I led a wartime scenario on a battlefield in my hometown. I had a very young and inexperienced team, so my leadership was critical to success. We did two daily news conferences in front of more than 300 media daily, briefed senior leaders, dignitaries, congressional and in some case celebrities on the operation and the specifics of what happened. I have commanded six times in uniform and am very comfortable in crisis scenarios. But it is the resilience and professionalism of my teammates, not necessarily me, that gets us through a crisis. I just provide guidance. These pros execute the mission flawlessly.

As the president and CEO of Main Line Health (MLH), I have the honor and privilege of working with more than 12,000 employees and medical staff members who comprise one of the Delaware Valley’s largest health systems. In the summer of 2019, we launched a new brand campaign to capture the essence of the MLH spirit and to differentiate the experience our team strives to deliver. The foundation of the campaign was crafted after dozens of interviews with team members from across the organization to explain what drives us at MLH; to describe the values we bring forth every day to make MLH the best place to both give and receive care. This work resulted in a brand narrative that defines our promise to see, hear and connect to each of our patients as individuals, and our belief that Health Care is Human Care. 

Since the arrival of COVID-19 to our region in early March, our MLH spirit has undergone the ultimate test. While the Philadelphia region, in general, had the opportunity to learn from areas severely hit with less time to plan (such as Seattle and New York City) we at MLH treated some of the earliest cases on the East Coast. In fact, Montgomery County, located directly in our service area, saw among the first COVID-19 cases in the state and by mid-March, our campuses had treated close to 20-30 percent of all the cases in Pennsylvania.

With the early signs that COVID-19 had infiltrated our communities, we implemented our incident command structure across the System and began comprehensive planning, and 24/7 coverage to ensure a coordinated response across our five hospitals. The safety of our patients, team and community always remains at the crux-of our planning and decision making. Key areas of focus for us over the past six weeks included:

• Changing processes and procedures: This included canceling elective surgeries, implementing screening checkpoints, and the suspension of volunteer services and visitor restrictions.
• Procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for our team: Our Logistics team has literally scoured the globe to ensure our team is appropriately protected, and we secured shipments from around the world. While we believe we currently have sufficient supply, our responsibility as health care leaders is to ensure responsible and prudent use to conserve as much PPE as possible for the duration of the pandemic.
• Securing and deploying testing for the community: The MLH team was one of the first in the state to establish drive through testing for those who were ill, but did not need emergency level care. Likewise, we worked doggedly to secure rapid testing for our inpatients—this type of testing is key to appropriately managing patients and protecting our team. To date, we have tested almost 7,000 community members.
• Surge planning: Our team has created predictive modeling to anticipate when our area could experience the highest volume of cases. In order to serve as many in our community as possible, we worked extensively on a three-tiered surge model that allows us to scale our bed capabilities and use non-traditional patient areas, like large conference rooms, should it be necessary. When fully activated, we could care for 1,600 inpatients across MLH.

I am incredibly proud — and forever grateful to — our administrative team for their dedication, ingenuity, collaboration and exhaustive efforts to ensure we are operationally prepared to serve the community when they need us most. However, it’s those by the bedside — our heroes directly battling this silent enemy — whose work surpasses all expectations. These brave individuals on the front lines who provide critical care, serve as family for those patients who have none, and create a safe and clean environment are the ones who truly embody the concept that health care is human care. Despite their own fears and facing so many unknowns, these crusaders “suit up” every day, committed to saving as many possible. In the span of a day, they experience sorrow and triumph, but in response to every situation, they respond with strength and grace.

Take for instance Lindsey, a nurse caring for a COVID-19 hospice patient. As the virus took this patient’s life, several family members visited throughout the day, but all had just gone home for the night.  Due to the set-up on the unit, Lindsey was able to see directly into the patient’s room from the nurses station. Within a short span of time, she noticed an acute change in her patient's status. She gowned as quickly as possible to enter the room and spend the last 3-4 minutes of her patient’s life by their side.  When the physician called the family to share the news of their loved one’s death, she was also able to offer the solace that Lindsey was present at the bedside… their parent did not die alone. 

While we mourn those taken by COVID-19, we also celebrate our survivors. Such as when one of our Hospital teams arranged a joyous farewell for a patient who spent more than 20 days in the Intensive Care Unit, on a ventilator. Just as the lives that are lost leave scars on our team, this patient, too, leaves an indelible imprint on our front-line heroes. It is these moments that offer a revitalizing reminder of why we are in this work, after all. While there can be profound sadness in health care, there is also unforgettable joy.

These moments demonstrate compassion and empathy that represent not only the MLH spirit but the human spirit. This pandemic has taken lives, upended the financial infrastructure of our nation, and altered daily existence as we have known it for so long. But it’s also given something to us … these human moments. Moments that demonstrate the goodness of humanity. Moments that allow our faith to shine. Moments that give us strength and hope for a future that is far brighter than we could have possibly imagined.

When people think of front-lines health care workers, they rightfully imagine those in direct care.

But legions behind the scenes fuel the critical work of the front lines, and University accounting graduate Melissa Schnipp ’96, of Bogota, New Jersey, is among them. So are her 10-year-old son, Antonello, and husband, Dan.

Melissa is site finance controller at Hackensack Meridian Health’s Palisades Medical Center, a community hospital increasing its ICU beds and converting floors to serve a community hard-hit by COVID-19. Her role in this pandemic, she explained, is “keeping the cash flow moving, monitoring the materials supply chain, pushing all the paperwork through and making sure emergency purchasing gets accomplished.”

At Hackensack Meridian, workers in many roles have been redeployed as the virus progressed, and Melissa has been no exception. Originally working from home when the crisis became full-blown, she had been, at points, called back to the physical site to play various roles. It was during her time at home, though, when some bonus family bonding led to a special mission for the Schnipps, initiated by Antonello.

While Melissa was working at home, she said, her family heard more than usual of one another’s work or school conversations, giving her a new understanding of her husband’s and son’s days and them of hers.

“They got to hear some of the safety calls and the things we talk about every day,” she said. Antonello, understandably, had been worried about his mother, especially when she was going into the medical center.

“I just reassured him that I was going in to help, and that this is what we need to do for society as a whole,” she said, noting that value was formed early on while a student at Scranton.

“He asked why there wasn’t a cure, and I explained we need research,” she recalled.

Antonello had an idea. Having already dabbled in fundraising efforts, raising money for childhood cancer and for the American Heart Association, he asked Melissa if he could raise dollars to help find a COVID-19 vaccine.

He explained his mission as simply as any 10-year-old would: “I wanted to get research so people wouldn’t get sick and nobody would die.”

The Schnipps used the Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation’s platform to set up a personal page, The “Big A COVID-19 Combat Fund.”

“Because he is 10 we set the goal at $1,000 and told him we’d match whatever he was able to raise,” Melissa said. “We sent emails out and a few Facebook posts using the URL link for his team site."

The page reached its goal in a week, has now hit $1,150 and is still active. The money will go to Hackensack Meridian’s Center for Discovery and Innovation, which is researching and working on a vaccine.

Scranton, Melissa said, laid the groundwork for this.

“Dean Michael Mensah taught me well,” she said. “He always stressed we were going to face things in life that were not ‘textbook.’ When we got into the world, we would need to be prepared for anything.”

“That lesson really resonates with me now,” Melissa said, as does the way the University stressed service. “My compassion and passion for service – and my trying to instill the same in my son – definitely came from Scranton.”

Conor Kerrane '12 writes a tribute to his sister, Taylor Kerrane '16, an ER nurse for Northwell Health in Long Island, New York.

Taylor Kerrane '16 graduated at the top of her class from The University of Scranton with a BS in Nursing. She chose this career path as it compliments her caring nature and ambition to bring good health and faith to the world.

Early in life, Taylor succeeded at many things and, after graduating, was propelled by her education into a great career as an ER nurse for Northwell Health in Long Island, New York. She was selected from hundreds of other graduates across the nation into a high-profile program at Northwell to train with best-of-breed professionals and cater to a high demand, high-stress environment.

With her training and drive, Taylor has stepped up to the plate to address the COVID19 outbreak alongside her colleagues with world-class professionalism and bravery. She has endured the stress of helping over 100 COVID19 positive patients in her hospital and continuously fights on the line to save lives.

With the current circumstances, her role as an ER nurse presents more emotional hardships than any chief executive can endure, and Taylor takes her day-to-day operations in full stride. Due to the significance of this pandemic, Taylor has made a selfless request that our parents live outside of the home during this time to protect them from the unfortunate reality we are currently living.

Our entire family is proud of what she has accomplished and thankful for her services to our local community. We love you Taylor and keep up the great work!

It all started when her freshman year floormate asked her for sewing advice to make masks. That gave Cat Munzing '05, from Oceanside, New York, an idea. She had just quit her full-time job as a customer relations manager for a jewelry store to focus on her business, making custom children's dresses, baby clothes and repurposing old wedding dresses into such garments as christening and communion gowns.

"I actually contacted Cat to ask her for advice on a sewing machine so that I could make some masks [for my family] since I’ve known since Martin Hall, freshman year, that she was a pro at sewing," said classmate Karen Hoerst '05, a neurologist who is now home with her young children. 

Hoerst "planted the seed," Munzing said, and she quickly pivoted the focus of her regular business to sewing masks for health care professionals. The first masks were donated to NYU Winthrop on Long Island, where her sister is a surgical technologist, and eventually throughout the Northeast and across the country to California and Arizona. As of April 9, she has made and shipped more than 1,000 masks.

"My customers typically come to me for alterations, custom dresses, things that are wants rather than needs," she said. "So, while it's disheartening that our health care providers don't have what they need during this time, it's nice to be able to help."

Munzing is also heartened by the generosity of others. A few people from her community are helping her with the cutting and sewing and "the donations are pouring in," she said. "Supplies, money, their own time, it's been incredible."

And, take it from Hoerst, Munzing's hard work is appreciated. 

"So many people right now feel helpless in this situation, but Cat took the opportunity to take a bad situation and do something for others, many of whom she doesn’t even know personally," said Hoerst. "As someone who is a doctor (even though I’m not currently working) I know how much it means to the doctors, nurses, and all other hospital staff to know people are in their corner."

Pictured above: Cat Munzing '05

Isabella Dolente '17 is a nurse who is working to combat COVID-19 in Philadelphia. Her parents, small business owners Carl and Lisa Dolente P'17, P'23 from Haddon Heights, New Jersey, were so proud of their daughter on the front line of the pandemic that they made shirts that say, "Not All Heroes Wear Capes. My Daughter Wears Scrubs." The saying was sent to them from Scranton staff member Lynn King Andres '89, P'17, director of the Parents' Executive Council (PEC). The couple, members of the PEC, sent the T-shirts to the family and friends of Isabella's nurse colleagues. Their daughter, Miranda, is a first-year student at Scranton.

Isabella responded to her parents' generosity by posting a thank you on her Facebook page, "Before all this, I can say that I’d taken my parents hugs and kisses for granted. I have not missed something more. Thank you for being the two best humans I know. The strongest and greatest support system a daughter/nurse could have."

Isabella continues to help patients in the ER at her hospital, while her parents donate food to her and her colleagues. 

"Seeing them through the window when picking up dinner from their house hit home for me because all I wanted to do was hug them, squeeze them forever and thank them endlessly for being the best," wrote Isabella in her Facebook post.

Brittany Piatt ‘12, DPT ‘16 is providing physical therapy to patients during the COVID19 pandemic. Here, her sister and brother-in-law recognize her for her work. 

The University's Medical Alumni Council collected tributes to doctors on National Doctors' Day on Monday, March 30. Read a selection of the tributes here. You can also Honor a Royal or share a story by visiting scranton.edu/royalsrespond. See the Honor Roll at scranton.edu/honor-a-royal. Read all the tributes from Doctors' Day here.

My brother, Dr. Joseph Cahill '08, is currently completing his last year of surgical residency in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with Pinnacle Health. He graduated from Scranton in 2008 with a degree in Biology. He went on to complete his master's in cell and molecular biology from Binghamton University. He then completed Medical School at Lake Eerie College of Osteopathic Medicine. He will begin a fellowship this summer. His Scranton education helped create a strong foundation for his career. Together, with his perseverance and education, he has become a stellar and well-respected doctor. His work ethic is unmatched and has inspired me to work harder than I knew I could. He truly embodies the quote on Brennan Hall's wall, "Of those to whom much is given, much is expected- Luke 12:48". Joe's commitment to his patients is unwavering. Thank you, Joe!

- Elizabeth Cahill '15

Please recognize Dr. Michael T. Brown '82, as he works continuously to treat patients throughout this pandemic. Dr. Brown is a surgical oncologist at Tower Health in Reading. He recently celebrated his 60th birthday with festivities postponed as he did not want to unwittingly spread anything to his wife, Dr. Patti Brown, or his three children, son-in-law or 2-year-old granddaughter. Dr. Brown is an incredible surgeon and mentor who warrants recognition year-round and especially this Doctors' Day.

- Douglas Brown

Dr. Eileen (Hoffner) Bishop '05 earned a degree in biomathematics and continued her studies at The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Bishop completed a fellowship in critical care at Dartmouth before joining the team at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. 

She is a dedicated advocate for the care of the sickest patients.  She works tireless hours as a critical care physician and has worked been a leader at the Cleveland Clinic in many regards.  She is on maternity leave but will be returning to the frontlines of patient care in a short time, around the peak-projection point for the pandemic in her area. She is an example of Royals for Others.

- Kim Collins '08

Lauren Carosi '16 is a physician assistant working in the emergency room at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. She had been working in the ER for about a year and a half before the COVID-19 crisis.

Tell us what life is like for you right now.

Life is hard here for all of us in the middle of a pandemic, will little PPE and no ventilators left for patients. Each day is extremely challenging and upsetting, but knowing how many people’s lives we are saving at the same time is remarkable. I am so honored to be a health care professional during these times and do my little part in helping save the world. 

How are you coping when you're at home or how do you prepare for the next day or night at work?

I am so lucky that I have the most amazing support system of friends and family. Friends and family have continuously been checking in to see how I am doing mentally and emotionally and although they cannot understand completely, they have done an excellent job of keeping me sane.

I have always loved to exercise and it has continued to be a great escape during these difficult times; lots of walking and long runs! When mentally preparing before a shift, I try to refer back to two of my favorite quotes. One is from a University of Scranton Christmas card I received a few years ago that I still display in my room. It states "When there is darkness, you can be the light." Another quote I tend to refer to is "All you can do is the best you can do at any given time." It's difficult to go to work and know that we cannot adequately do our job due to short staffing and lack of resources. In a time period of uncertainty and of fear, where my hands are tied, my colleagues and I may not be able to take care of and save every single patient. A more positive thought that I try to ruminate on is that I can be supportive and comforting to my patients when they are alone and need it most. 

Do you find yourself telling others how they can help? What do you say?

Others can definitely help in the midst of a pandemic! We are so grateful for all the donated meals, donated masks, and recognition that everyone is providing healthcare workers during this time. Each individual can help by continuing to quarantine and practice social distancing as a way to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. Continuous hand washing and avoiding touching your face not only protects you, but it protects others. And just remember, we are all in this together!

Have you felt prepared for this?

When choosing to become a physician assistant, I did think I would be an essential employee on the frontline of a pandemic. But I am still extremely happy with my choice to become a healthcare professional, especially during a time when I am needed most!

On Monday, The Medical Alumni Council of The University of Scranton (MAC) wished its alumni physicians a happy National Doctors' Day by asking the alumni, students and friends of the University to submit stories of outstanding alumni doctors to the MAC at scrantonmac@scranton.edu. 

To read the many stories of alumni physicians making a difference in the world, visit scranton.edu/mac. 

What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.

Charles B. Gibbons ’67, Pittsburgh, a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, lectured on federal evidence at the Pacific Judicial Conference Trial Practice Training held in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, in January 2020.

Patricia Richards-Service, Ph.D. G’91, South Abington Township, instructor in the Communication Arts department at Marywood University, was notified by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and World Learning that she has been recommended by the Peer Review Panel for placement on the Fulbright Specialist Roster for a tenure of three years. As a candidate on the Fulbright Specialist Roster, Dr. Richards-Service is now eligible to be matched with projects designed by host institutions in more than 150 countries globally. The Fulbright Specialist Program is unique among programs in the Fulbright portfolio in that host institutions lead the project development process. This ensures that any outside expertise requested through the Fulbright Specialist Program meets a need that the institution has identified as a critical area for its growth and development.

James P. Walsh ’91, Clarks Green, was promoted to director of sales-east coast for United Gilsonite Laboratories, a paint specialty manufacturing company, located in Scranton.

Patrick Stokes ’01, Hillsborough, New Jersey, was elected president of the Central Jersey CPCU Society Chapter. The CPCU designation is widely considered the most distinguished designation offered in the insurance industry. Stokes works for Chubb developing advanced analytics solutions.

John R. Patro, OTD. ’07, G’08, West Long Branch, New Jersey, was named chair and associate professor of Occupational Therapy at Monmouth University. Dr. Patro is working to open an entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) program at the University’s campus in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Patro is a Ph.D. candidate in Educational Studies from Lesley University and has earned OTD from Chatham University.

Deaths

Eli Fleisher ’49, Kingston
Richard H. Capozzi ’57, Dunmore
Hon. James M. Munley ’58, Archbald
Ronald Skiscim ’59, Crestwood, Kentucky
David P. Chowanec ’64, Frederick, Maryland
John F. Rooney, Ed.D. ’64, Taylor
Albert J. Serino ’69, Pittston
Gerald A. Beurket ’70, Binghamton, New York
Jeremy P. Mulderig, Ph.D. ’72, Chicago, Illinois
Thomas C. Kenney ’83, Clarks Green

Births

A daughter, Hannah Jena, to Rebecca and Philip Loscombe ’07, Wyoming  
A daughter, Isabella Angelina, to Patrick and Alexandra Mickler Auth ’08, Hoboken, New Jersey
A son, John Joseph, to John ’11 and Stephanie Reidlinger O’Connor ’11, Havertown

Marriages

Thomas Grady ’07 to Aileen Cordaro
   
Friends' Deaths  
 
Helen Kost, twin sister of Frank G. Kost ’64
Joan Lonsdorf, widow of James Lonsdorf ’50