CAA From The Field To The Frontlines - Former Seahawks Battling Invisible Opponent
The CAA is launching a new series called "From the Field to the Frontlines", recognizing the numerous former student-athetes, coaches and administrators from conference member institutions who are making a major impact in their communities during the CoVID-19 pandemic.
Former Seahawks Battling Invisible Opponent
By Joe Browning
“The ability to serve others during difficult times is a tremendous privilege. Now more than ever, I realize medicine is not a career, but a calling.”
- Dr. Alyssa Ritchie, Class of '15
Debbie Warner, second from left in front row, was a two-sport athlete for the Seahawks in the early 70s
They come from different sports and different times, but four former UNCW student-athletes are de facto teammates today on the front lines as health care professionals in the battle against global nemesis COVID-19.
Debbie Warner (Class of 1976), Dr. Alyssa Ritchie (Class of 2015), Savannah Andrews (Class of 2018) and Anna Grauel (Class of 2019) each faced formidable opponents during their time as Seahawks. Today’s current foe – the coronavirus - may be the toughest.
By the end of April, the novel coronavirus had infected one million people and killed more than 60,000 individuals in the U.S., according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“I just feel fortunate to have a job where I can contribute and help,” said Warner, who played on the Seahawk volleyball and women’s basketball teams in the early 70s. Warner serves as a physician assistant with Cape Fear Heart Associates at Wilmington’s New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
These days, Debbie Warner has traded in the courts for the patient rooms at New Hanover Regional Medical Center
“With all of the precautions we have to take now, it’s definitely different,” added Warner, who began her career as a PA in September of 1995. “I’m hospital-based and do night call. We’ve always washed our hands really well, but all of us are more diligent now than ever before.
“We’re handed a mask before we go in and we wear one all of the time in the patient rooms. We’ve noticed that some of our cardiac patients are hesitant when they have symptoms to come in. They’ve been sitting at home for 10 to 12 hours before deciding to come.”
Warner says that communication, or the lack thereof, complicates matters. “It’s tougher now. It's hard on families because they’re not allowed to visit. Some understand and others get frustrated.”
With the resolution of the coronavirus still a ways off, Warner says an abundance of caution is absolutely necessary.
“People are tired of hearing about it, but they have to understand that their neighbor could by asymptomatic. They need to stay off Facebook, not watch the news 24-7 and find a good movie or book.”
A three-year starter, Savannah Andrews helped the Seahawks advance to the NCAA Tournament in 2015
Former women’s soccer standout Savannah Andrews is also facing COVID-19 while in nursing school as a care partner at VCU Health in Richmond.
“I wanted a position where I could get my feet wet,” Andrews reflected. “That timing came exactly when COVID-19 was beginning to manifest itself in this country. That didn’t stop my eagerness.”
Andrews earned her undergraduate degree in public health at UNCW and is excited to be experiencing medical history first-hand. She just started four weeks ago, but has already had direct contact with COVID-19 patients.
“You never know who or who may not have COVID,” she said. “We’re taking an extra layer of caution. We have a total team mindset. There was definitely some uncertainty at the beginning, but there’s a lot of hope right now and positive vibes moving forward. It will just take some time.”
Like most providers, Andrews must wear a mask during her 12-hour shifts and “never appreciated fresh air so much.” Andrews, who grew up outside Richmond, has come full circle, returning home to pursue nursing as a second degree.
In between her studies and shifts, Andrews finds some time to work out on the pitch. With her collegiate career behind her, she finds a parallel with a new, different opponent.
“You have to have resiliency and passion,” she said. “Just like soccer, it’s all about staying with what you know. You have to know yourself, your strengths and what you can bring to the table. Then work with your teammates within their strengths and what they can do better.”
Teammwork is essential for Andrews in Richmond
Andrews hopes to complete nursing school soon
Despite long hours and an ever-changing environment, Andrews is fully committed to being a nurse.
“If anything, all of this has made me even more excited,” she said pointedly. “It’s wonderful to see all of the nurses and providers come together. I look up to all of the nurses around the country. Our goal is to get people healthy. It’s a very humbling experience to see COVID from every angle.”
Anna Grauel, second from left, is gaining valuable experience at one of the world's renowned hospitals, Johns Hopkins
Grauel, meanwhile, was on a road trip with the beach volleyball team to Corpus Christi, Texas, when she was offered a nursing position at world-renowned Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. It was a dream come true for the Marylander after growing up near the research giant.
“I remember getting the email about the offer and broke down crying,” she laughed. “It was such a surreal moment. I knew that’s where I wanted to start my career.”
Like Andrews, Grauel’s introduction to the real world has been a dramatic one. She was on the job as a cardiac nurse in the intensive care unit when the coronavirus changed everything at Johns Hopkins. Suddenly, an opportunity to care for other patients arose.
For Grauel, it was a chance worth taking.
“I just felt a very strong push to be in that group,” she said. “I decided that’s where I wanted to be. I’ve worked the last two weeks in the medical ICU and it’s been a cool, humbling experience.”
Grauel, who wears a mask attached to a filter, said it’s “not the most comfortable thing,” but realizes its importance in protecting herself from infection.
“I was a little concerned when I first started because I had asthma growing up,” she said. “I’m in close proximity to the patients. I’m just thankful that our hospital has a good supply.”
Grauel has cared for patients of all ages, young and old alike. The coronavirus has no boundaries, she said.
“It can affect anyone. College-age kids are getting it. It’s not just the older population. I’ve seen people in the 20s sick. I had a patient who was about my age, and that really hit home for me. She was really, really sick. That could have been me.”
Anna Grauel played on the first full class of UNCW's beach volleyball program from 2016-19
The events of the last few weeks have taken their toll on the staffs of many hospitals and the dedicated group of health professionals at Johns Hopkins is no exception.
“Compassion fatigue is a big thing,” said Grauel. “These are tough shifts to work. I’ve had conversations with a lot of my colleagues who are emotionally drained. We’re trying to rotate the staff as much as we can. There’s been a lot of movement around the hospital to compensate for the amount of patients we have.”
While the early part of her career has been eye opening, Grauel says her experience in collegiate athletics at UNCW helped to prepare her for the daunting task at hand.
Grauel hears from her teammates almost daily with encouraging words and text messages.
“Being a student-athlete was hard and being in nursing school at the same time was really difficult,” she said. “I’m used to throwing my energy into different areas and figuring out a way to make it all work. I know how to fall back on my teammates for energy and encouragement and know when I need to ask for help and ask for extra resources.
“It has helped in my desire to be on the front lines. I want to be where I’m needed. As a former student-athlete, I have a competitive nature and want to make an impact by helping patients who are sick.”
Originally from Franklin, Ohio, Dr. Alyssa Ritchie earned First-Team All-CAA honors in singles during the 2014-15 season
"Every day is game day,” says Dr. Ritchie, who is in her first year as a general surgery resident physician at a Level 1 trauma center and tertiary care center in northwest Ohio after completing her Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Ohio University last year.
Playing collegiate tennis was a blessing, Dr. Ritchie said, because the sport demands discipline with a team approach. Today, she cares for patients in general surgery and a variety of surgical specialties, including trauma, vascular, pediatric, plastic, cardiothoracic, bariatric, minimally invasive, and transplant surgery.
“My career as a collegiate tennis player positively influenced my medical career,” she said. “Tennis taught me many valuable lessons, including being coachable, being consistent and always being prepared. I seek to be a key player both in and out of the operating room, making adjustments and always moving forward, even in the most crucial moments.”
COVID-19 has brought its own set of complications in the heathcare field, but Dr. Ritchie said her colleagues are truly resilient.
“Since the virus spreads easily,” she said, “the chance of passing it to a family member is high. For many of us, that means the little time we spend outside of the hospital is spent in isolation – away from our friends and family due to the risk that we may be an asymptomatic carrier.
“Traumas and emergency surgical cases don’t stop. We continue to see traumas such as motor vehicle and motorcycle collisions, gunshot wounds, and falls, and patients who require surgery for acute problems such as inflamed gallbladders or perforated colons. Some of these patients also end up being diagnosed with COVID-19.
"We have an entire building of the campus dedicated to the treatment of COVID-19 patients and the surgical residents serve as the COVID vascular access team there. This team is responsible for placing central venous catheters so patients can receive vital medications, arterial lines for blood pressure monitoring, and hemodialysis catheters for patients to receive dialysis to treat kidney failure.”
The stress level on hospitals and their personnel continues to rise, leaving the medical community concerned about the mental health and wellbeing of healthcare professionals.
Surgeon Dr. Alyssa Ritchie uses the valuable lessons she learned as a women's tennis standout for the Seahawks
“We’ve seen individuals step into a variety of roles and assist wherever they are needed. Throughout the country, you see physicians from all specialties assisting in the intensive care units. Respiratory therapists, janitorial staff, lab personnel, nurses, physician assistants, radiology techs and many more individuals all play an integral role in the care of these patients and have formed a united front against the virus with the common goal of providing excellent patient care.
“I have a great deal of respect for the individuals who are selflessly serving others in the cities hit hardest by the pandemic. The challenges in these areas due to the sheer volume of patients they are seeing have been many and these individuals are facing the challenges head-on. They are not only serving as healthcare professionals, but are also the main support system for these patients due to hospital visitor restrictions.”
Warner, Andrews, Grauel and Dr. Ritchie are excelling in the real world, one that is complicated by COVID-19, because of the Seahawk spirit – competing and rising to the occasion in the face of adversity.
“The ability to serve others during difficult times is a tremendous privilege,” Dr. Ritchie emphasized. “Now more than ever, I realize medicine is not a career, but a calling.”
Former women's soccer star Ashley Church is an RN at NHRMC in Wilmington
Lindsay Henry, an RN at Elmhurst Hospital in NYC, played women's soccer with the Seahawks from 2009-12
Jenna Baratta played women's soccer for the Seahawks from 2012-15
Jenna Baratta is an Occupational Therapist in NJ