Macomb heroes: Experience and perseverance allow frontline workers to carry on – The Macomb Daily

Businesses have reopened. People are starting to travel but still, we have health care workers, first responders and others working on the frontlines 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.

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This weeks 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 hospitals 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, is an Airman First Class with the 127th Wings Civil Engineer Squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township. Bellinger is one of the reasons frontline workers never have to worry about the generator failing on their COVID-19 unit. Photo courtesy of SANG

Mya Bellinger

Airman First Class with the 127th Wings 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 Ive always wanted to be able to give back to my community.

Ryan Liddy, a resistered nurse and patient care services unit manager at McLaren Macomb in Mount Clemens. Photo courtesy of McLaren Macomb

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 Michigans 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.

Nominations for Macomb Frontline Heroes can be sent to gina.joseph@macombdaily.com or edit@macombdaily.com. Please be sure to include the nominee's name, hometown, where they work and what they do. Also include a photo in jpeg format of the nominee.

Free trips for heroes

Do you know of a health care worker, who has gone above and beyond their duties during the coronavirus pandemic and deserves the opportunity to hit the road in a cool recreational vehicle?

Then nominate them.

In new program launched this week by Outdoorsy an RV rental and outdoor experience marketplace -- frontline workers throughout the country are being awarded a free three-day, two-night RV rental from Outdoorsy.

Healthcare Hero, is part of a larger national effort to give our heroes across North America the mini getaway they deserve in light of COVID-19.

Among the local individuals, who have been named Healthcare Hero by Outdoorsy is Gary Kanner, an emergency medicine resident at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit. Photo courtesy of Outdoorsy.

Among the winners this week is Gary Kanner, an emergency medicine resident at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit, who contracted the coronavirus while serving a very vulnerable population on the frontlines. Fortunately, he recovered and got right back to work. Set to finish his last year of residency training and graduate this June, he will be moving to New Mexico. With members of his cohort also scattering across the country to start new jobs, the time they have together is dwindling. That in mind, Kanners girlfriend, Erin Hendrix, nominated him for an RV trip with his co-residents, to get outdoors and spend some much-needed quality time.

Outdoorsy is interested in hearing about doctors, nurses, EMTs, or anyone working in healthcare, who are making a difference and deserve a trip. Nominations for the "Outdoor Hero" can be submitted in the nomination section of the program page at: outdoorsy.com/m/healthcare-heroes