The season of giving

As the pandemic takes its harsh toll, I see colleagues giving — not giving in, but giving more. Like the dedicated front-line caregivers at Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) and throughout the region, the University of Findlay's health professional staff, faculty, and students are delivering care in new ways for long hours. At UF's Cosiano Health Center, Tara Smith, Director of Health Services, describes the past few months in this way: "Our days have been filled with testing, follow up on daily health check questionnaires, contact tracing, housing; and the phones have been so busy we added two more lines to help fulfill the need because patients were saying they couldn't get through. We've had student workers every day in the office, which we have not had before but needed to have the added support for contact tracing and phone call volume. Some days were long including some weeks with 12-14-hour days and working weekends." I like to think that this effort would please the late Dr. Frank R. Cosiano, a fine physician and community leader, who donated his office building to UF, the building that now houses the Cosiano Health Center. Jodi Firsdon, Director of Counseling Services, also offered her insights about these months: "Counseling Services transitioned to a mostly online version this year. Services are available to students through an online HIPAA compliant zoom platform. The students have adjusted well to this change and continue to utilize teletherapy. While many schools that have transitioned to an all-online platform have noticed a decrease in services at the beginning of the semester, UF Counseling Services has been steady and strong continuing to serve the same number of students as last year but with fewer staff than last year. Last year we had 3 counselors, a graduate intern, and a psychiatrist that came once a month. This year we have 2 counselors and a graduate intern that started later than usual. We are in the process of hiring another counselor which will allow for more students to be seen in the spring semester." Health professionals from the academic areas at UF have worked hard to serve the community as well. When BVHS expressed an urgent need for unit secretaries and nursing assistants, 40 students from the College of Health Professions offered to help. Physical Therapy students from the class of 2021 and their faculty research advisor, Dr. Amy Schlessman, conducted research and presented their findings at UF's Excel at Teaching Conference on the topic "Recorded Lectures: Survey of Student Use and Perception Before and During COVID 19." UF's College of Pharmacy students and faculty have helped with contact tracing for Hancock County and will take responsibility of all COVID-19 contact tracing on campus in the new year in the college's telehealth center. The center, in operation for five years, has been a valuable resource of information during the pandemic for patients and doctors in the review of medications and in contacting prescribers to resolve issues, all the while allowing patients to stay in the safety and comfort of their own homes. The college has also performed COVID testing at UF and the University of Toledo. A group from the college will assist pharmacists in the company PharmScript, one of only four entities approved to receive the first vaccine distributions, in the administering of vaccines to the most vulnerable people in our country. The resilience of people who unselfishly care for others day in and day out will be the inspiring stories that will outlast the pandemic. In this giving season, I give thanks for them and claim this promise in their behalf: "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). As we pray comfort for the sick and bereaved, may we also pray for strength of body and spirit for those who care for them. Fell is president of the University of Findlay.