Salute to Doctors and Hospitals
Jamaican-born doctor makes impact at forefront
Meals for frontline workers at Brookdale, Kings County hospitals
By Nelson A. King
In a show of gratitude for the dangerous
and hard work of frontline staffers
at Brookdale University Hospital Center
and Kings Country Hospital in Brooklyn,
amid the coronavirus (COVID-19)
pandemic, the personal injury law firm
of Barash McGarry has delivered meals
to workers.
On Monday, the law firm that serves
all five boroughs of New York City, Long
Island, Westchester, Putnam and Duchess
Counties, said it delivered lunch to
frontline health care providers at Brookdale
University Hospital Center, “part of a
program to provide support to every first
responder and medical professional in
New York City.”
The previous Monday, the firm said
frontline medical workers providing lifesaving
treatment at Kings County Hospital
were treated to a special delivery of
several hundred meals at lunchtime.
“For weeks, these medical workers
Caribbean L 20 ife, May 15-21, 2020
have confronted an unprecedented crisis,
as local hospitals provide health care
for thousands of patients affected by the
coronavirus even as their workers lacked
access to basic safety equipment to prevent
the spread of the disease,” said Barash
McGarry in a statement.
The firm, a longtime advocate for first
responders and the entire 9/11 community,
has also provided meals for medical
professionals at Good Samaritan Hospital
in West Islip, New York Presbyterian in
Manhattan, Glen Cove Hospital, Mount
Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, St. Francis
Hospital in Roslyn, NYU Winthrop Hospital
in Mineola, St. Catherine of Siena Medical
Center in Smithtown, Stony Brook
University Hospital, and Southside Hospital
in Bay Shore.
In addition, snacks and sports drinks
have been donated to 14 area police precincts,
in partnership with the FealGood
Foundation, the Retired Sergeants
Association of the New York City Police
Department, and the New York State
Fraternal Order of Police, Nassau Police
Lodge 69, and groceries have been delivered
to local food pantries for distribution.
“These people are our heroes – they
need to be fed and they need to be taken
care of, so they can take care of us,”
said Michael Barasch, Managing Partner
of Barasch McGarry.
“In this time of need, we are proud to
support first responders who have been
forced to sleep in their cars and the medical
providers working extended shifts to
protect the public health,” he added. “We
owe them all an enormous debt of gratitude.”
Barasch McGarry said it represents
more than 20,000 first responders and
survivors with 9/11 Victim Compensation
Fund claims.
The firm said it successfully advocated
for the Never Forget the Heroes: James
Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez
Permanent Authorization of the September
11th Victim Compensation Fund Act,
which extended the 9/11 Victim Compensation
Fund until 2092.
By Tangerine Clarke
Dr. Phillip Fairweather says his
greatest achievement is becoming a
physician, a dream he had before he
even knew what being a doctor was at
the tender age three in his homeland of
St. Mary, Jamaica, where he observed a
doctor tending to a sick relative during
a house call.
The Elmhurst Hospital Emergency
Room doctor was determined to succeed,
and even though he did not grown
up in a traditional family structure, he
is happy that his mother understood
and made every effort available for him
to get the resources needed to become
a doctor, he told Caribbean Life in an
exclusive interview.
“Even though I was tested over the
last months, I don’t have any regrets
about becoming an emergency medical
doctor. I feel a great deal of satisfaction
knowing that I was able to help
people at their worse,” he said, refering
to the coronavirus, that killed scores at
Elmhurst Hospital, which reported an
apocalyptic surge in COVID-19 cases.
Dr. Fairweather, a Westin Connecticut
University and Cornel University
graduate, is grateful that he got to know
people during the short time between
meeting them and helping them. He felt
humbled that people came to a crowded
emergency room during the pandemic,
and put their trust in the medical staff
to do the best for them.
His first job at Beth Israel Hospital
was just the beginning of an illustrious
career for Dr. Fairweather, who
has served in Emergency Medicine at
Elmhurst for the past 20 years. He is
pleased that he has the opportunity
to serve people who put their trust in
the team of doctors, who have the best
interest of patients at heart.
The doctor is making a great impact
at the busy public hospital, which he
said is the safety net for community
people who come because they often
times have no other option. “They
have no primary care doctor, because
of their socio-economic status. They
come to us because they believe they
could get the best care they need in an
effective and competent way.”
“We are open 24/7, and do not ask for
payment before people can see a doctor.
We do not ask about their immigrant
status. We do the best we can with
the resources we have,” adding, “I am
proud to have the ability to provide that
service.”
Dr. Fairweather, who has a wealth of
knowledge and experience in the medical
field after working at Jacobi Hospital,
and being in the NYC Health +
Hospital Corporation network for many
years, admits that his journey during
the Covid-19 period has been challenging,
at all levels.
Compounded with long hours and
deaths in the ER, he could have never
imagined experiencing such tragedy,
kin to a war zone, never serving in the
armed forces and seeing battle, it was
difficult to comprehend that the situation
is the same.
“It has left an indelible impression in
my mind,” said the medical hero, who
prides himself on working with a competent
team of doctors who all pitched
in to save lives.
“We all have different roles to play
in this Covid-19 effort. Many who are
alive, owe their survival to the good
work we did, because the disease ravished
many people.”
“We did the best we could, but there
was no ability to save all lives, he
admitted, adding that families could
not be with afflicted relatives, because
of concerns that they could be infected,
heartfelt situations that prompted doctors
to use electronic Ipad and tablet,
for video conversations with loved
ones.
He recalls having to answer difficult
questions about relatives surviving the
coronavirus, and doing his best to keep
people alive.
The coronavirus is an incredibly
aggressive disease, something never
seen before, said the physician, who
explained the delicate way a PPE has to
be removed, the importance of handwashing,
protecting the face, and taking
showers immediately after leaving
the ER, all essential actions to stay
safe.
He expressed sadness at a nursing
colleague who recently passed away,
noting that it was horrifying to come
to work with a thought that you could
get ill while on the job.
Dr. Phillip G. Fairweather after a hard day’s work at Elmhurst Hospital,
Queens. Dr. Phillip G. Fairweather
Barasch McGarry delivers lunch to
frontline healthcare providers at
Brookdale University Medical Center
in Brooklyn.
Barasch McGarry law fi rm