A Moment of Sadness, Reflection, and Comfort.
1,151,056. Once an unimaginable milestone, the number of lives lost globally to COVID-19 has become a heart-rending reality, affecting almost every person in the world, and each member of the School of Public Health.
On October 14, the SPH community gathered for a virtual memorial to acknowledge this solemn moment, to honor and grieve for each person around the world who has become sickened, lost their life, or lost a loved one to this virus.
Organized by Craig Andrade, associate dean of practice and director of the Activist Lab, Ilana Schlesinger, wellness program coordinator and advisor, Meredith Brown, assistant director of strategic initiatives in the Office of the Dean, and Thomas Lee, Jr., academic program administrator in the Department of Global Health, “A Million Deaths: A COVID-19 Memorial” was a time for the SPH community to come together to mourn and reflect on the myriad ways the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our personal and professional lives. It was an opportunity to provide collective solace and support, recognizing that each person is processing and dealing with challenges in their own unique way.
The hour-long memorial featured a mix of formal remarks, personal thoughts, and reflective silence, as SPH members shared in the Zoom chat box the names of family, friends, and loved ones they have lost during the pandemic.
“This is a sad moment,” said Sandro Galea, dean and Robert A. Knox Professor. “We’ve spent a year dealing with the challenges occasioned by the moment and how it has upended our personal and professional lives. If there is anything that this moment teaches me, it’s that the world cares about health more than ever, the world needs public health more than ever, and there is so much more that we need to learn so that we can keep people healthy moving forward.”
In a time that may feel like “an unending stream of ‘doing,’ it’s also important to take a moment to pause and reflect,” said Galea. “I want to thank all of you for being part of a community that takes a moment to get together, to think together, to feel together, and to send our thoughts, prayers, and wishes to everyone who has been personally affected.”
This is a time to remind each other that we are not alone in our grief, said Andrade.
“We are marking the loss of those who are gone, but also the needs of the living they leave behind,” Andrade said. “We may be separated by space, but we are still gifted with a unique network that cares for each other in so many ways, and I hold that close as we endure this separation, loss, and struggle.”
Reverend Robert Alan Hill, dean of Marsh Chapel, before sharing poetry and philosophical passages about sorrow, isolation, faith, and comfort. “Grief is hard work, and it involves time and effort,” Hill said. At Marsh Chapel, “we are at your service as needed into the future.”
Not only is grief complicated, it can manifest in different ways for different people, said Schlesinger. “Whether you’ve been feeling numb, distracted, addicted to the news, lost, hopeless, or just fine, know that you are your own best guide and whatever helps you get through is totally okay,” she said. “What’s working one day might not work the next, but finding what feels good and what’s helping you get by moment to moment is really important.”
Schlesinger is available to meet with SPH students, faculty, or staff. There are also a number of wellness resources available to the SPH community, which can be found on the SPH COVID-19 Response page, and in the monthly SPH Wellness Newsletter.
“Living in this state of constant tension, fear, and sadness is hard and it’s draining, and I hope people know that they don’t have to do it alone,” said Schlesinger. “There’s no guidebook for how to manage these feelings, but hand-in-hand, we’re going to figure it out and get to the other side together.”
Karen Brouhard, director of BU’s Faculty & Staff Assistance Office, said that licensed behavioral specialists are available to provide free and confidential online support to both BU faculty and staff members, as well as their immediate family members.
“We’ve connected people with psychotherapists, psychiatrists, and other services in the community to address the mental health impact of the many traumas of the current moment,” said Brouhard. The office also offers workshops and self-care events such as chair yoga and mindfulness meditation. “We’re available to talk with you about anything that you’re struggling with and consider resources that will be most helpful to you.”