A MESSAGE from two children to their mother to stay safe during the Covid-19 pandemic is to recreated in copper and taken to the United States later this year and hung on the hospital ward.
An X-ray technician at St Clare Hospital in Lakewood, Washington State, Jennifer Zabroski works on the front line to help patients and doctors get a diagnosis. Avery is her 10 year old daughter and Cameron her 13 year old son.
Worried about their mum’s safety at work, they pin a simple piece of cardboard to the front window of their home each day which states that it is: ‘Home of an amazing health care worker’. The note also says that the workers are doing all that they can and that we love them because they care and help.
Ms Terry Duggan-Jahns is manager of the Radiology Department at St Clare Hospital. Her great grand parents come from Brinaleck. In recent years she has asked a distant cousin, Neil Ferry who runs Donegal Copper Craft from his home in Meenaclady to create custom designs for family members.
“I’ve done seven or eight pieces for Terry over the years and she came to me asking would I be able to recreate the picture that these two children put up on the window every evening for their mum.
“I thought that it was a lovely idea and said I would be delighted to do it free of charge. Terry said that they will put it up in the hospital as a reminder to future generations what they went through in 2020. I hope to go over when al this calms down to present it to the hospital,” he said.
Neil hopes to complete the project in the coming days.
“The piece that Neil is currently working on is a photo I sent him of one of my Radiology Staff’s children made for her during this pandemic of Covid-19. I thought it was very beautiful and I wanted to somehow preserve it for her as a dedicated healthcare worker and her children’s appreciation for the work she does.
“Their mom , Jennifer , has been an X-ray tech for more than 20 years taking portable chest X-rays of patients who are confirmed or rule out Covid-19 at St. Clare Hospital. Jennifer is many of my employees/Radiology X-ray techs /Diagnostic Imaging technologists that put themselves as front-line staff to help these patients and help the doctors get a diagnosis. I am sure they are worried about their mom’s safety at work. We are now quarantined for probably mid May. Since I am and my Staff are essential medical staff- we still show up to work everyday to cover the hospital 24/7 during this Covid-19 crisis. Hope all is well back in Ireland. Take care,” she said.
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