Abby Heck is a junior on the women’s golf team, hailing from Memphis, Tenn. Below is an excerpt of her experience volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“On a typical day, I have my online classes, which begin at 7:20 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Once I’m done with class, I go to West Cancer Center, where I help screen patients for the coronavirus. I spend about twenty hours per week volunteering.
I’m a pre-med student interested in oncology. A doctor who I shadowed over Christmas break reached out to me saying they needed help with volunteers for, I think, two reasons. First, hospitals and clinics, and really all healthcare facilities, are understaffed to deal with such a pandemic. We have not faced such a large outbreak since the Spanish Flu nearly a hundred years ago. Second, most volunteers are older and at-risk; they especially need to stay home.
I’m right there in the doorway when people walk into the clinic. I ask about travel histories and symptoms. We don’t turn anyone away, but if someone looks like they could be displaying symptoms of the virus, they’re given a mask and seen separately. We have isolation rooms that are cleaned and kept empty for an hour between patients. These practices are aimed at preventing the spread of the virus. We’re trying to protect everyone there, especially the patients with cancer whose immune systems are already compromised.
It’s been really interesting to be here day after day. I’ve shadowed a lot of doctors in the past and in different fields, but I don’t usually have a chance to interact with patients or get to know them at all. Volunteering every day now, I see a lot of the same people, and I’ve had a lot of really meaningful conversations. I’ve seen women walk out after finishing their last breast cancer treatment. They’re so excited, and I’ve had fun celebrating with them. I’ve also seen patients who just received rather sad news about their prognosis. I’ve learned empathy, and that has been very moving.”