Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,
Good morning on a chilly Spring morning for Elkins Park. It’s been another busy week at Salus as our students prepare for boards and exams in addition to their busy didactic and clinical schedules. We continue collect clothing, medical supplies and non-perishable foods in the lobby outside our cafeteria in support of families displaced by the war in Ukraine. We also keep all Ukrainians in our thoughts as they courageously defend the sovereignty and freedom of their country.
Other items of interest include:
UKRAINE ADOPTION ODYSSEY: It’s been a long, challenging and sometimes dangerous journey for Maryana Kravchenko, OD ‘12, and her husband Dmitriy, to adopt a Ukrainian teenager. And, it’s not over yet. Read more here about Dr. Kravchenko’s firsthand experience with the war currently raging in Ukraine.
TEI EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR: Congratulations to our Patient Care Services Team Employee of the Year 2021, Teryl Simmons! This award recognizes exemplary performance by the Patient Care Services Team (Patient Service Representatives and Medical Records Clerks) who have been identified by their supervisors, peers and providers as having consistently excelled in their positions and demonstrated integrity and a strong commitment to The Eye Institute’s mission.
DEI SPEAKS! EVENT: Nydia Han, an investigative reporter and a Sunday morning co-anchor with 6ABC Action News in Philadelphia, was the featured speaker at our recent DEI Speaks! event. She shared excerpts from her work #ThisIsAmerica (issues of race, discrimination, and bias) documentary. Read more about the presentation here.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Our next Where Are They Now features Allison Bicskei, MSOT ‘16, OTR/L, LSVT. Allison’s father is an occupational therapist, so she’s had a front-row seat for seeing how great of an impact OTs can have on someone’s life. Read more about Allison here.
REMEMBERING DR. RAGONE: Lawrence A. Ragone, OD ‘53, FAAO, who joined the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) faculty in 1965 and at the time of his retirement in 1993 held the rank of associate professor, passed away March 7, 2022, at the age of 94. Read more here.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This week began with the tragic loss of two, brave Pennsylvania State Policemen and the person they were aiding, and ended with the passing of former Secretary of State Madeline Albright. Secretary Albright was a beacon of democracy and honesty during her tenure as Secretary of State. As the first female to serve in that position, she set the bar extremely high for anyone, man or woman, who would follow. This week we have also seen the utter destruction of the city of Mariupol in Ukraine contrasted by the resilience and bravery of the Ukrainian people still living there. Our hearts and thoughts go out to all who have been affected by these tragedies.
There are people here at home who are trying to raise awareness and assist those currently in harm’s way. Our colleagues at Manor College have been leading the charge in collecting food, clothing and medical supplies for Ukrainian refugees. What most people don’t know is that Manor has a well-established museum of Ukrainian Heritage which I had the opportunity to visit yesterday with Manor College President Jon Peri. Visiting helped me fully appreciate the culture, creativity and spirit of the Ukrainian people and their determined resistance to Russian dominance.
Our world is experiencing traumatic, era-defining changes. Not since the beginning of World War II have we seen this level of atrocity in Europe, nor have we seen environmental challenges wrought by climate change in our lifetimes. While it’s easy to get pretty depressed over all of this, I do believe it’s also important to highlight the things we have that are good. We are so very lucky to live in a country where we are free to express our opinions, go about freely and get the type of education you all are engaged in now. I am optimistic, even with the current state of affairs, that good will prevail in Ukraine, and we will find strength in solidarity. Take pride in the professions you’ve chosen to help others and make their lives better because, in the end, what matters most is what each of us individually can do to make another’s life better. We cannot control world events, but we certainly can control our own actions to care for others.
As we approach the weekend, please keep the families of our Pennsylvania State police tragically killed as well as Madeline Albright’s family and all those suffering in Ukraine in our thoughts and prayers.
Take care of one another, wear your face mask when around large crowds, wash your hands frequently and remain SALUS STRONG!
Mike
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