THE GENEVA COVID-19 RESPONSE
Alumni
Equipped to Serve in Medicine By Judith (Campbell ‘14) Dinsmore
Dr. Athena Kantartzis Petrides ’07 didn’t talk
The most difficult aspect of the crisis has been much to her family during the first two weeks of the balancing the important demands of caring for her COVID-19 outbreak in March. family. “I felt and still feel an immense sense of responsibility with every decision I make, so it has As Medical Director of Pathology Informatics at been difficult to find pockets of time Brigham and Women’s Hospital throughout the day when I can get in Boston, Petrides and her team out of that headspace and focus on were tasked with supporting the my children. We are still taking each development of new methodologies day as it comes,” she concludes. of testing for the novel coronavirus, working with other laboratories God is in Control to move as many tests through as Even as Petrides worked long hours possible. to contribute to the fight against “It has been very challenging,” COVID-19, she was also keenly Petrides says. Her team was also aware of human limits. “Even though involved in setting up multiple policy makers, hospital systems and collection sites in the Greater Boston scientists around the world have area and supporting lab testing for been doing their best to deal with the Boston Hope, a temporary 1,000pandemic, it is very clear that they are bed hospital. “Thankfully, my work Dr. Athena Kantartzis Petrides ’07 not in control. God is in control.” hours are now less than what they used to be,” she continues. But the responsibilities Jim Bellante ’91 agrees. A nurse working in Pittsburgh are still intense. “We are now working on reimagining both on the medical oncology floor of UPMC Shadyside our laboratory workflows and patient-facing services hospital on the weekends and for Bridges Hospice to ensure that we offer a safe and highly productive during the week, former Golden Tornadoes football environment for our staff and patients.” star Bellante says the pandemic has not changed his
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GENEVA MAGAZINE
