For Memorial Day, how will you honor and remember those lost during the pandemic?

Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos, Johns Hopkins Medicine

I’ll continue to check in with the families whose loved ones I cared for during the past year and passed away. These families continue to grieve, often with difficulty regarding closure as they were not present when their loved one passed away.

Dr. Jeff Millstein, Penn Medicine

We display a memorial quote or prayer in our office in a highly visible location. Creating a constant reminder of those who we’ve lost is the best way I can think of to honor them.

Dr. Chase Anderson, UCSF

By reflecting on how we could have done better as a society and continuing to think about how to leverage the privileges and platform I have so that together we ensure this never happens again.

Dr. Eric Last

I keep the names of the patients I’ve lost on my list of admitted patients. Each time I check the list I see their names and remember. This helps me remember their names and is a reminder that they’re people, not statistics.

Dr. Colleen Christmas, Johns Hopkins Medicine

I remember their unique attributes and am intentional about fighting for a cause that was important to them, so they live on through our memories and efforts. I’ll be working Monday so will have an excellent opportunity to talk with the residents about how ageism needlessly erased the precious lives of some of my patients. And for one in particular, I plan to have a martini when I get home!

Dr. Laura Hanyok, Johns Hopkins Medicine

My family will be getting together to celebrate the life of my brother-in-law, a family medicine physician, who died on May 29, 2020 from COVID-19.

His story, and those of many other healthcare workers who died from COVID-19, is in the Guardian’s “Lost on the frontline:” Lost on the frontline: US healthcare workers who died fighting Covid-19 | US news | The Guardian

Dr. Zeina Moukarzel, Beirut, Lebanon

I planted a cedar tree in my garden, a sign of eternity and strength, to always remember them and remember what this pandemic has taught us, that we are only strong together.

Dr. Scott Wright, CLOSLER Executive Editor

I’ve added a few minutes to my morning meditation to think about the all of the strength and kindness that left us too soon. In their honor and in recognition of how precious time is, I will send a loving message to family and close friends who I haven’t seen in awhile.

Dr. Rachel Salas, Johns Hopkins Medicine

By having gratitude each day and night, thinking about those lost and sending thoughts and prayers to their loved ones.