From science teacher to PPE maker: Sam Garson, B.S. ’05
Alumnus Sam Garson is a teacher at Friday Harbor High School on San Juan Island, a small rural island community in Washington. During the school year, Garson teaches a variety of science classes ranging from AP biology, to oceanography, and even robotics. But the former University of Miami men’s rowing team member has a new job these days: making Personal Protective Equipment.
Partnering with a local engineering company, Garson uses the school’s 3-D printers and a design approved by the National Institute of Health to print face shields for the first responders and medical professionals in their small community. Each shield takes about two and half hours to complete and Garson has made close to 100, while also continuing to teach virtually. And while they began by producing shields for the island’s ten-bed hospital, they have now expanded into producing and distributing shields to all neighboring islands.
A nurse on the front lines: Andrea Leiner, M.S.N. ’19
Every three weeks, Andrea Leiner, a family nurse practitioner pursuing her post-master’s certification in acute care at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies, returns to Matamoros, Mexico, with Global Response Management (GRM), an international medical nonprofit organization, to prepare an encampment of 2,000 migrants if an outbreak of COVID-19 occurs. Read her story here.
Supporting the UHealth family: Gary Shaw, B.E.D. ’69
From supporting the Sports Ethics Debate program to lecturing and inspiring students at the School of Education and Human Development, alumnus Gary Shaw’s dedication to the U is unwavering. Helping out during these trying times is no exception. In an effort to support the nurses and doctors at the University of Miami Health System who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shaw and his wife Judy acquired and donated 200 face shields. “For me, it’s about the U first,” said Shaw, a former boxing promoter. “They gave me an opportunity in life, and I want to give back.” Read the full story here.
Caring for new mothers in Spain: Daniela Martinez, B.S. '11
The small 270-bed hospital where Daniela Martinez, B.S. '11, works in Madrid, Spain has admitted up to 750 COVID-19 patients at once, and her team has had to adapt and learn to deal with the new reality. Martinez, an obstetrics and gynecology resident, remains focused on caring for new mothers in an often chaotic environment. See here to read a Q&A with Martinez as she describes the situation on the ground in Madrid, her journey as a doctor, and helping women cope as they navigate pregnancy and birth in the time of COVID-19.
How are you responding to COVID-19? Share your story here.
