Dr. Laura Vricella is an OB-GYN and a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. She spoke about how the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has impacted her and her staff, and about some of the ways that COVID-19 infections seem to be impacting expectant mothers and their babies.
Susan Good is a retired nurse who spent most of her career and the beginning of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic working in Tacoma, Washington.She spoke with KBIA’s Missouri on Mic team at the Columbia Bicentennial event back on July 4th about what nursing during the pandemic in Washington state was like, and a little bit about why she’s chosen to retire to Columbia, Missouri.
Kennedi Barker is a public health nurse for Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services. We spoke a few weeks ago during a mobile outreach vaccine clinic that she was working about how the more than 17 months of the pandemic – and working with Columbians from all walks of life – has impacted her.
Jeanee’ Kennedy is the Chief Nursing Officer for Freeman Health Systems in Joplin. For several weeks now, Joplin has had the worst COVID-19 hospitalization rates in the county. In fact, Jeanee’ said their hospital recently had to open a third COVID unit to accommodate all of their patients.She spoke about what she’s seeing in her community and about how this current surge is taking a toll on nurses and other frontline health workers.
Jeremy Drinkwitz is the President of the Mercy Hospital in Joplin. Joplin currently has the worst rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the county and three of the surrounding counties it serves are also in the top 10.
Trina Teacutter is the nursing supervisor for Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services. She spoke about how they have changed their tactics when it comes to vaccinations, and how “coming to people where they are” – though community-based vaccination clinics – is allowing them to reach more members of the community.
Amanda Hedgpeth is the vice president of hospital operations for the CoxHealth Hospital System based in Springfield, as well as their assistant commander for COVID-19 response.
Steve Hollis and Darren Morton work closely together combating the issue of homelessness in Columbia. Hollis is the Human Services Manager of Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, and Morton is the Director of Turning Point, an organization that works with people experiencing homelessness.They spoke about breaking the stigmas surrounding unhoused people, and about how important it is for the entire community to understand how difficult it can be to “pull yourself up” when there...
Andrew Pham and Alice Yu are both members of the Mizzou Asian American Association.They spoke about the challenges of rallying a historically disconnected Asian American community in the aftermath of recent hate crimes – and about how their generation might be the ones to overcome those challenges.
Dorreen Rardin and Jackie Reed in Columbia are both long-time nurses who spent their careers working in palliative end-of-life care. After they retired, they joined together to co-found Caring Hearts and Hands of Columbia, a social model home for the dying – basically a community-supposed home for terminally ill people.They spoke about what needs to be done to improve the end of folks’ lives and about what the community could do to help as they work toward creating a social model home.
Reverend Fred Leist and Teressa Gilbreth both work at Missouri United Methodist church in downtown Columbia.They reflected on the past year or so of the coronavirus pandemic, and spoke about how their congregation remained supportive through an emotionally taxing COVID-19 lockdown and how they’re NOW looking forward to rebuilding their community.
Matthew Mertz and Lee Porterfield both live in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and are both veterans who served in the Army for over two decades.They spoke about how all of their children were born in different places and about it can be complicated to find TRICARE, or military health benefits, in some civilian environments – especially rural ones.
Jordan Richards and Tracy Davis are both Board Members at The Center Project, an LGBTQ+ resource and community center for Mid-Missouri.They spoke about some of the barriers transgender Missourians face when they need to go to the doctor – for gender-affirming health care or even for a simple checkup.
Rev. Kirk Perucca is the Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church - a multi-cultural, multi-racial and multi-economic congregation in Kansas City.
Jordan Richards and Tracy Davis both work at The Center Project, an LGBTQ+ resource and community center for Mid-Missouri. They spoke about what Medicaid expansion – or a lack thereof – could mean for transgender Missourians.
Father Francis Doyle is the pastor at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Columbia. He works closely with Deacon Michael Berendzen who coordinates the Columbia Catholic Hospital Ministry.
Laurie Hines and Ted Glasgow have been together for many years. Laurie is a living kidney donor and the director of the Missouri Kidney Program. Ted is an accomplished bodybuilder and an immunocompromised kidney transplant recipient, which makes COVID-19 an even larger threat.
Laurie Hines and Ted Glasgow have been together for many years. Laurie is a living kidney donor and the director of the Missouri Kidney Program. Ted is an accomplished bodybuilder and an immunocompromised kidney transplant recipient, which makes COVID-19 an even larger threat.
Emily Arth is a licensed clinical social worker and a therapist in Columbia. She spoke with reporter Olivia Love about understanding grief and about how everyone needs to give themselves the space and time to process grief during the ongoing pandemic. She urges everyone to seek out help if they need it.
Emily Arth is a licensed clinical social worker and a therapist in Columbia. She spoke with reporter Olivia Love about understanding grief and about how everyone needs to give themselves the space and time to process grief during the ongoing pandemic. She urges everyone to seek out help if they need it.
Emily Arth is a licensed clinical social worker and a therapist in Columbia. She spoke with reporter Olivia Love about understanding grief and about how everyone needs to give themselves the space and time to process grief during the ongoing pandemic. She urges everyone to seek out help if they need it.
Elizabeth Herrera Eichenberger is the executive director of True North of Columbia – an organization that supports survivors of domestic and sexual violence through “safety, shelter, education and transitional support.”
Elizabeth Herrera Eichenberger is the executive director of True North of Columbia – an organization that supports survivors of domestic and sexual violence through “safety, shelter, education and transitional support.”
Mallory Schwarz and Arzina Lakhani both work for NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri. Schwarz is the executive director and Lakhani is a policy intern.
Carlos Wade is an inmate at the Southeast Missouri Correctional Center in the Bootheel, who we talked to back in July. He recently updated me on how things are going inside prison – nearly ten months into the pandemic and after another round of cases at the facility.
Carlos Wade is an inmate at the Southeast Missouri Correctional Center in the Bootheel, who we talked to back in July. He recently updated me on how things are going inside prison – nearly ten months into the pandemic and after another round of cases at the facility.
Liz Ellison is an RN and critical care nurse at a local hospital in Columbia. She spoke about what it’s like for her – personally – as she prepares to receive the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
Liz Ellison is an RN and critical care nurse at a local hospital in Columbia. She spoke about what it’s like for her – personally – as she prepares to receive the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
JoNetta Weaver is the executive director of Meals on Wheels of Columbia. She spoke about how the organization continues to offer hot meals to people in need, and about how they’ve had to tackle another health crisis during the ongoing pandemic – loneliness in the senior community.
