In this historic moment, marked by the global health emergency caused by COVID-19, the importance of nurses' work has been rediscovered.
CIBELES RODRIGUEZ
Nurse (Madrid)
“For me, being on the front line of battle has been an enormous challenge, both at the personal and professional levels. However, it's also taught me to put things in perspective and give them the importance they deserve. I think we've learned to appreciate and cherish the daily things we used to take for granted.”
Pope Francis sent a message to nurses and midwives on International Nurses Day. In it, he recognizes their testimony of courage and sacrifice in helping people affected by the virus, despite the risk to their own health.
This self-sacrifice is especially evident in the elevated number of medical workers who have died while faithfully carrying out their responsibilities. In Italy alone, 11 percent of those infected by the virus are healthcare workers. At least 160 have died.
CIBELES RODRIGUEZ
Nurse (Madrid)
“It has also increased my love for my profession. At the same time, it has made me a little more human. Sometimes we forget, while rushing through life, that one of the most important aspects of being caretakers is humanizing this role.”
The pope recognizes these men and women as having said “yes” to a vocation. He calls them “good Samaritans,” who are concerned for the lives and wounds of others. He acknowledges that they experience the trauma caused by suffering in people's lives. The message goes out in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, well into the International Year of Nurses and Midwives.
Daniel Díaz Vizzi
Translation: Claudia Torres
