President
Again, I will open with a virtual hug. Life has been so difficult these past few months. What initially seemed like a sprint in terms of quarantine and the pandemic, has indubitably turned in to a marathon. Returning to “normal” life seems very far off. Though recovery is on the horizon, with daily news about vaccines candidates and trials, the path back to normal life still seems more like an obstacle course. So, what do we do? I am hoping everyone is finding a way to care for themselves and loved ones, at least from a distance. If this pandemic has taught us nothing else, it has taught us that we need each other. As human beings, we long for community and connection. We long for feeling like we belong. This time of testing has allowed us to examine who we are as individuals and as a society. It has shown us that there are segments of our population, who for centuries, have been made to feel like they don’t belong or that their lives are of less value than others. I am grateful that there is a rising tide of voices that are committed to changing our society for the better. We are resilient, as a people, as a nation and as a specialty. We will get through this together.
As a specialty, we have always been committed to and have advocated for the voiceless, the disadvantaged, the underserved. We continue to be on the frontlines of this pandemic in advocating for our patients for testing, equitable care and improved outcomes. As family doctors, we are gifted with a broader perspective; we are fully aware that nothing we do is without consequence. We stand with our public health colleagues, appreciating the synergy in our work in keeping communities healthy and safe. We also appreciate that the most vulnerable in society – at risk children, elderly, people who suffer from mental illness and those with special needs – may not be (and for some, have not been) safer at home in isolation without access to services. Now is the time for us as Family Physicians to advocate for finding the balance between decreasing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and keeping people safe and healthy in the short and long term.
CAFP continues to be a great resource for PPE and repository of information on how to gain financial support if your practice needs assistance.
For more information:
Our stories are compelling, unifying and help all of us feel connected. Please share your story on how all of this is affecting you at admin@laafp.org.
