After graduating from CKS high school in 2011, Nathaniel L. Hui migrated to the United States of America the following year, where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and eventually passed his nursing licensure examination. He worked at the Aviara Healthcare in San Diego, California for years before moving to the Los Angeles Community Hospital last February 2020, where he is currently assigned to its COVID-19 unit.

The hospital where he is currently employed takes great measure in protecting its frontliners by providing adequate PPEs. And because Nathaniel works with patients who are either COVID-19 positive or possibly infected, he makes sure to wear a surgical mask on top of the N95 mask and face shield, practice hand hygiene and properly don his PPE after each shift. Outside of work, he eats a healthy diet, takes vitamins, gets enough rest, and takes walks during days off. While knowing that these extra steps are somehow tedious, Nathaniel still does them diligently to protect himself from contracting the virus.

In his many formative years at CKS College, Nathaniel learned to uphold such values as selflessness, resilience, and integrity. Although physically and mentally taxing, he considers being a nurse as a fulfilling, noble profession, with or without COVID virus.

Mabuhay, Nathaniel! Continue doing your share in this battle against the COVID-19 virus.

Sharmaine Denise D. Uy (黃小媚) of CKS high school batch 2011 has been working as a staff nurse at the Philippine General Hospital since 2016. The area where she was assigned to has been temporarily converted into COVID wards and as a result, she became a direct frontliner handling COVID patients. Because of this, she has to work everyday wearing full PPE gears, which is very uncomfortable but not one which she has much of a choice. Her current schedule calls for 8 straight work hours without food nor water, and almost no bathroom breaks because the PPEs worn cannot be undressed just that easily.

But with the positive outlook she got from her CKSian student days, Sharmaine bravely face the difficulties and uncertainties of her job.

Keep smiling, Sharmaine. Your beaming aura will surely help your patients feel and get better.

Dr. Hanle Yap (葉罕利) of CKS high school batch 1984 lives in Ontario, Canada, and works as an internist/geriatrician hospitalist. His mornings are usually spent in the hospital, while he holds clinic in the afternoons. But because of COVID-19 precautions, Doc Hanle can only do phone follow-ups with patients.

COVID-19 has tremendously altered the medical landscape. Doc Hanle mentioned that humanity has met not only an easily transmissible disease, but also a potentially lethal disease that does not spare the young, him included being 52 years young :). And continuing to do hospital work has become even more challenging, and a bit scary. But like most medical frontliners, Doc Hanle observes proper precautions, which hopefully will keep him out of trouble.

His normal day now starts with getting changed in the garage, nothing (except his mobile phone) from the workplace sees the inside of his home. He puts on his mask, work clothes, then proceed to the hospital, where he puts on goggles, face shield, gowns and gloves, as the situation mandates. The hospital where he works in currently does not allow visitors, so he needs to call family members of patients to give updates about the latters' health.

Coming home, all clothings are left in the garage, and he goes straight to the shower. Mobile phones are cleaned with viricidal wipes.

Doc Hanle believes that the toughest part of his job right now is trying to not get infected; and if infected, hopefully live through that infection. Everyone who signed up for medical work knows that they are putting their lives at risk as part of the job. Risks can be mitigated. Worldwide, there are very strong efforts towards finding a vaccine, and medications that will alter the course of this disease. This is certainly something to look forward to.

Decades after leaving the portals of his alma mater, Doc Hanle believes that the biggest lesson from his CKS College years is the lesson of community, strongly saying: "We are all part of a small group, our small group is part of a community, and that community is a part of the nation. The country suffers, “国家有难，匹夫有责", and we all have to sacrifice for her. All must do our part and heed the national leadership. If you are materially privileged, consider giving to charities and food banks. Even though your workers are not currently showing up for work, perhaps provide a partial wage to tide them over these uncertain and difficult times. For those of us who have less, staying isolated and physically distancing is a great contribution. Reach out to your extended family and friends, look after each other’s mental health."

He ended his viber interview with some words of encouragement. "As a Persian poet once said, 'this too will pass'. It might not be the same world we left in March, but whatever reality shows up at the end of the tunnel, we will adapt as usual, and I am pretty sure we will thrive. To all of us, stay safe, good luck and Godspeed."

CKS College wish you well and God keep you safe always, Dr. Hanle Yap.

We all remember Jan Bendric Co Borbe ( 陳有德) of CKS high school batch 2009 as topnotcher in the Physician Licensure Examination several years ago. Today, he is a first year resident in Internal Medicine at the Philippine General Hospital, which has been designated as a COVID referral center. As such, more than a hundred COVID patients are currently admitted at PGH as of the moment.

Barely three months into his residency, the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Ever since, Doc Jan said that their schedules and roles has been changing on a daily basis as they try to adapt to whatever is needed. People don’t stop getting heart attacks or strokes just because of COVID19. The challenge now is to be able to take care of COVID patients while not neglecting the needs of other patients. Since the hospital staff is stretched out, one medical frontliner has to fulfill multiple roles that were previously done by different people.

According to him, the most difficult part of their job is taking care of patients, while carrying the physical and emotional burden that the virus has brought upon him and his fellows. Nevertheless, one always has to be able to deliver the best care regardless of the situation.

And because their job entails them to be at the battlefront where any patient could potentially be harboring COVID19, Doc Jan and the heroes of this war always have to stay protected, using PPEs even if they are working in non-COVID areas. In PGH and other hospitals as well, there have already been cases where patients appear to be completely well but turned out to be COVID positive. As such, presence of mind is of utmost important when handling any patient because one small mistake could get them infected.

One of the values that Doc Jan hold on to is commitment, which he has definitely picked-up from his alma mater, Chiang Kai Shek College. He stays fully committed to work no matter how challenging it gets.

Doc Jan allayed his fears, stating that being a doctor doesn’t make one immune to the virus. In fact, many of his seniors and colleagues were already infected. Some, unfortunately, have succumbed to the disease. While he is afraid, it is the commitment to serve that keeps him going.

Doc Jan would like to remind everyone to be calm amidst all that’s happening around, to stay home, and to practice proper hygiene. He also encourages everyone to reach out and help in whatever way they can.

You have never failed us and the Filipino people, Dr. Jan Bendric Borbe. Your CKS College is truly proud of you!

Some CKSian medical frontliners are just too busy and too tired nowadays that it is difficult for us to bother them for interviews about their work and life experience relating to the COVID-19 outbreak, especially since they need all the rest they can get.

And such is the case of our three "unsung heroes" in this post, all medical frontliners in different hospitals, all working and risking their lives during this crisis.

And what makes this post more meaningful is that they are kins, Dr. Jacqueline Racelis Salagubang (張寶蓮) of CKS high school batch 1983 is the auntie of Riza Alyanna K. Racelis (張美麗) of batch 2007 and Dr. Jan Ray C. Amargo (柯德志) of batch 2009, the latter two being cousins.

Doc Jacky is the hospital administrator of the Asia Medic Family Hospital and Medical Center in Dasmarinas, Cavite, where she is also an OB-GYN.

Her niece Riza is an outpatient medical technologist at the Philippine General Hospital, while nephew Jan Ray is an Internal Medicine resident doctor at the De La Salle University Medical Center, also located in Dasmarinas, Cavite.

To Jacqueline, Riza and Jan Ray, we know how tolling the situation is for all of you, we appreciate your hardwork and dedication. Always keep safe and be strong.

Dr. Susanna Tan (蔡欣美) of CKS high school batch 2003 is an infectious diseases specialist at the infection prevention and control department of a hospital in Los Angeles, California for the last two years.

Her job has always had its ups and downs but dealing with this unknown pandemic has become even more challenging. In between patient care, a large portion of her day has now been dedicated to meetings and local policy making to help deal with the situation.

As a result, they have instituted other mechanisms as guided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (USA), including setting up screening stations and converting many visits to telehealth visits. Her hospital logistics group has also been making sure that they have enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all their staff taking care of all types of patients, including those with COVID-19.

Doc Susana pays tribute to her alma mater, saying: "School serves an integral part in the life of a young child growing up, and I think many of my better values including my work ethics have been strengthened by going to CKS College, where I was fortunate enough to have had teachers who have been nothing but incredible mentors."

While she is worried about the health of her family members, she feels that it’s a blessing in disguise that she lives alone and does not have to worry about coming home to her elderly parents.

As to the nature of the virus and how she deals with patients having it, she mentioned: "There are so many questions about this disease that no one has the answers to. Researchers and scientists everywhere are working hard to come up with evidence-based knowledge such that we clinicians can applying it to clinical care, but it’s definitely a delicate balancing act of sifting through all the data and finding out which one applies to your patient."

Keep safe and stay strong, Dr. Susanna Tan.