Health care workers unite for impromptu prayer vigil
More than a year-and-a-half of treating patients with COVID-19 has the staff of the Butler Health System exhausted.
On Tuesday, that exhaustion reached a breaking point for Ally Moran, a nurse at Butler Memorial Hospital, and she organized a prayer vigil outside the hospital in part to inspire some cathartic peace in a group setting.
“I just felt like it couldn't wait,” she said. “Just wanted to bring some unity, solidarity with each other. No judgements, just unity.”
About 35 people, many of them employees of Butler Health System and their families and friends, showed up to the vigil at 8 p.m. in the Brady Street parking lot, even though Moran put word out only a few hours earlier on social media. The Butler Bureau of Fire also brought two trucks filled with crew members to the vigil.
Ally and her husband, fellow nurse Doug Moran, led the group in prayer.
“It's just to bring some positivity,” Doug Moran said.
The atmosphere at the vigil inspired Amber McFadden, a patient care technician at Butler Health System, to speak as well. She encouraged everyone in attendance to close their eyes, cover their hearts and think positive thoughts to emit love vibrations.
McFadden, who is leaving her job at the hospital Friday, said the hospital staff was exhausted by the pandemic in December. Almost a year later, that exhaustion hasn't let up.
“Last December was really the hardest time because we weren't used to taking care of so many people,” McFadden said. “It kind of brought us together. I started doing meditations with staff.”
Jennifer Fencil has been a nurse with Butler Health System for about 20 years and also said treating COVID patients for so long has been emotionally and physically taxing. It has brought health care workers closer together, however, and the staff attendance Tuesday demonstrated their tight rapport.
“This is like nothing any of us ever thought we would be dealing with,” Fencil said. “We are with each other now more than we're with our own families. We needed to show we are grateful for the community support.”
Rachelle Savannah Haberberger, a therapist at Butler Health System, also spoke, and said the demographics of the community don't matter. She reminded the group that health care workers treat anyone and everyone and arguing online isn't productive.
“Any one of us could be in a bed there tomorrow with COVID,” Savannah Haberberger said. “We are doing a great thing here.”
