Vaccine Clinic Voices - Kathy Martin and Natalie Higgins

For the hundreds of CoxHealth staff members who have volunteered at our community vaccination events, the experience has been an uplifting example of being the best for those who need us.

We asked a few staff members to tell us what it meant to them to participate in these historic events – below is the latest in our series of Vaccine Clinic Voices:

Kathy Martin, Cox College

The clinics have been very organized and it has been very gratifying to work with a variety of people all determined to do their part in helping to protect the community.

My favorite has been cleaning the observation chairs. I got to talk with many of the people getting the vaccine and their families. Lots of different stories!

As a nurse not active in the acute care setting, the clinics give me the opportunity to contribute to the effort to fight the pandemic. I appreciate the nurses as well as all of the people who have served on the front lines in the hospital setting over the past year.

The people from the community receiving the vaccine were so grateful. There were plans for family get-togethers that had not been possible, taking trips, going to church, just getting back to more normal life.

Serving the community is a great reminder of why I became a nurse.

Natalie Higgins, Emergency Department

Initially when I signed up for the COVID Vaccine Clinic, my intent was to help the department and get some extra hours. My first community clinic had most of our CoxHealth Volunteers. I never imagined I would meet so many amazing people and that they would be so excited to get a vaccine.

Hearing stories of how they haven’t left their homes or seen their family in over a year was truly heartbreaking, but seeing the hope and joy in their eyes was a life-changing experience.

My favorite part of the experience is getting to see how excited people are and hear their story. Knowing you helped someone get one step closer to hugging their family is beautiful.

Vaccinating our community means we are hopefully seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and getting back to some form of normalcy.