She could have stayed home and reveled in the lull when school was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After all, medical clerks are known to go through hell or high water when training with hospital-partners. The hours are backbreaking, and not for the faint-hearted nor the weak-bodied. Thus, the quarantine break was a reprieve and a relief to many; a window to stay safe, as well as a sacred time to catch up on much needed rest and sleep. Genevieve C. Polo, 4th Year College of Medicine student of Our Lady of Fatima University, could have hid out in her room and soaked up on Netflix and social
media. Well, Genevieve did all that, and then some.
While on hiatus, Genevieve could not stop thinking about the medical and non-medical staff who have been standing their ground at the hospitals to battle the ugly face of COVID-19 head-on; the doctors, nurses, maintenance aides, laboratory technicians, security guards, office clerks, pharmacists— people who she had worked with and who had trained her to be more competent, knowledgeable and humane. She asked herself if there was something she could do for them. Well, evidently, there was.
With only a burning mission to “pay it forward”, Genevieve rallied her family, friends and community to share their resources. And on March 20 to 23, 2020, she raised enough funds that enabled her and her supporters to donate food to hospital frontliners at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, Quezon City General Hospital, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium, and Grace General Hospital. Except for the latter, soon-to-be-doctor Genevieve trained as a Medical Clerk in these hospital-partners of OLFU. Genevieve received the gift of knowledge from these institutions. It was now her turn to give them the gift of gratitude and hope.
Genevieve C. Polo, angel on Earth and a Fatimanian steeped in truth and compassion. Respect!
Note: Ms. Polo agreed to share photos of the drive, but said there was no need to post a photograph of her.