'She Was Made For This': Billerica Local Hero Nurse

BILLERICA, MA — Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the already vital work of healthcare workers is even more important — and risky. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented times. Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these everyday heroes.

This submission comes from Megan Lopez of Billerica, Mass., who nominated her sister Jacqueline:

Where the nominee lives:
Billerica

Where the person who nominated the hero lives:
Billerica

Name of the nominee:
Megan Lopez

Name of the person who nominated the hero:
Jacqueline Lopez

Is the nominee considered an “essential worker”?
Yes

What does the nominee do for work?
Melrose-Wakefield Hospital

Why do you believe the nominee should be recognized or honored?
Megan graduated last May with her BSN from the University of New Hampshire. She landed her nursing job soon after graduating. I imagine being a first year nurse is hard enough, but this is the kind of difficult she never saw coming. Through these crazy times and the toll it is taking on her mental health, she continues to get up each day, care for and fight for her patients. If she can survive a pandemic in the first year of her nursing career, she can do anything. She was made for this.

What’s one thing you want everyone to know about your hero?
Hmmm. It’s hard to describe her with just a small description, but if I could only describe her in one word, I’d want everyone to know how brave she is.

Thank you for all you do, Megan!

>> Do YOU have a local hero you would like us to know about? Share their story here.