HOSAEMagazineSpring2021

It is safe to say that COVID-19 has presented a whole world of change within the last year. Members across the world have come together to adapt to this change, despite the adversity many of them have faced. From switching to online school to taking on the role of caretakers, our members have adapted to their situations and have taken the initiative to push forward during these times. With an increase in vaccinations and everyone doing their part to stop the spread, HOSA members are looking forward to better times and to transitioning back to normalcy. Below are a few testimonies from members on how they have been affected and how they look towards the future with hope. KEEGHAN SHROPSHIRE - SOUTH CAROLINA “ The COVID-19 pandemic has been such a monumental and detrimental event in our history, and it is something that we will never forget. Personally, this pandemic has brought out more harm than good and I’m beyond ready to return back to normalcy. As a future health professional and an avant member of HOSA-FHP I have full hope that if we continue to listen to the guidelines of medical professionals then we can beat this together as a society. This HOSA year has looked different to say the least, and we had to make adjustments such as hosting virtual conferences so that we can follow the guidelines of the CDC. It is hard to believe that our lives have changed so drastically since a year ago and what used to be our “norm” is no longer our norm due to the pandemic. The pandemic has also greatly affected the mental health of myself and those around me. I’ve learned to take my mental health seriously because if I’m not well, then I cannot help others in the future which is my pride and joy. To help get through the tougher and darker days, I try to remind myself that the future is bright, and that this dark patch will eventually become brighter because there is still light at the end of the tunnel. As a society we owe it ourselves and those around us to do our parts to end this pandemic by getting vaccinated, social distancing, getting tested for COVID and wearing masks. ” SOPHIA BONFIGLI - DELAWARE “ The pandemic has been littered with challenges, but most unexpectedly has been its influence over my family dynamic. With the onset of changes in the workplace, my mom was required to alter her working hours, which then placed most of the household responsibilities on me. I found myself balancing school and extracurricular responsibilities with cooking dinner, running the wash, and driving my sister to appointments. In my local HOSA chapter, we needed to get creative with our fundraising endeavors and service project since our previous events all involved larger gatherings. We had to adapt by relying on apparel sales or writing letters to veterans to fulfill these goals for our chapter. It also made it harder to coordinate team events or get feedback from our advisor for competitive events. For Delaware HOSA as a whole, the pandemic opened the door to many wonderful virtual opportunities. With most chapters using web-conferencing applications, I could join local meetings to directly speak to and learn from members across the state. As we slowly return to normalcy, I cannot wait to meet others face-to- face again. No virtual meeting can completely replace the enjoyment of getting together with my family and friends and having heartfelt discussions. However, I can thank the pandemic for helping me hone my communication skills and move forwards as a stronger problem-solver. ” Moving Forward After Learning from the Past ´

ALEXIS GRASSO - TEXAS “ The last year has been both devastating and challenging but for me and many others this past year has solidified the decision to pursue a career in the health professions. Watching the pandemic unfold came with tons of cancellations and reschedules but it also brought movements to bridge gaps in health disparities and highlighted the importance of public health practices. More importantly, the past year has showcased the need for compassion, understanding and perseverance during unprecedented times. Traits that I have seen shine in each member of HOSA-Future Health Professionals since the beginning of this historical event. As the future of healthcare, we learned disease tracking and health education. We served our communities through collecting and donating PPE to helping COVID-19 vaccine drives. We led the charge to promote social distancing and mask- wearing. Finally, we innovated to bring all the wonderful opportunities of HOSA into the virtual world. Personally, because of the past year, I have had to use creativity to the fullest, find ways to make the virtual setting engaging and focused on my health and happiness- hooray for a consistent vitamin regimen! I have grown as both a leader and frontline worker and while I am anticipating when we can have feelings of normalcy back, I want to move forward using the same learning, service, leadership, and innovation to honor those we have lost and keep in mind the ‘why’ we are in HOSA and who we will become in the global health community. ” We share these testimonies to highlight the spirit of all HOSA members. This spirit, instilled in us from the beginning of our HOSA journey, is one that encourages us to find answers to any obstacle in our path. As humans, we thrive when we come together. If we do anything, we do it together. HOSA is not the same without our in-person interactions and if anything, it has taught us just how important these interactions are when we look outside of HOSA on the international stage in regards to healthcare. We hope that you all take time for yourselves and your loved ones coming back to normalcy, and we look forward to seeing all of your faces once it is safe again to do so. If you would like to share your COVID-19 testimony and what you look forward to in the transition back to normalcy, please contact HOSA at hosa@hosa.org or any member of the Executive Council.

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