Dr. Osterholm Partners With Minnesota Organization To Help Families Of Frontline Workers Felled By Virus
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Dr. Michael Osterholm, one of the nation's emerging health leaders in the fight against COVID-19, has partnered with one of Minnesota's biggest foundations to support the families of health care workers who've died of the virus.
The University of Minnesota professor partnered with The Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation to help raise money for the families of roughly 1,400 frontline workers who've died of COVID-19 since the outbreak began. The initiative aims to give each of these families at least $10,000. So, at minimum, the fund would need to raise $14 million to fulfill its gaol.
"It really is a situation where health care workers are the ultimate shock absorber for so many medical, [social], and economic issues," Osterholm said Monday. "We are definitely outstripping the capacity of hospitals in terms of personnel...so what happens is that we ask health care workers who are already very, very stressed to take on even more."
The fund aims to help the affected families in three areas. The first is immediate needs, such as funeral costs and medical bills. The second is a long-term help for socio-economic setbacks associated with the pandemic. The third is for scholarships for the children that are impacted.
If you'd like to contribute to the fund or learn more about it, click here.
