Doctor in New York, Who Contracted COVID-19 Herself & Recovered, Committed Suicide

On 26 Apr 2020, a top ER doctor from New York committed suicide when she was staying with her family at Charlottesville, Virginia.

Charlottesville Police Department officers responded to a call for help on 26 Apr 2020.

They took her to UVA Hospital for treatment but she later died from “self-inflicted injuries”.

“She Tried To Do Her Job And It Killed Her”

Dr Lorna Breen, 49 years old, is a medical director of the emergency department at NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital and has no history of mental illness.

Her father, Dr Philip C. Breen, said that his daughter had contracted the coronavirus.

After resting for a week and a half, she went back to work but was sent away by the hospital.

Then, her family intervene and brought her to Charlottesville.

Patients Dying Before They Could Be Moved Out Of The Ambulances

His father described her as being in the “trenches of the frontline”.

She had described to him the many scenes of patients dying before they could be moved out of the ambulances.

He could tell that something was wrong as she was seemingly detached.

Her father asked for media to portray her as a hero because that’s exactly what she is.

“Make sure she’s praised as a hero, because she was. She’s a casualty just as much as anyone else who has died.”

A Caring And Talented Doctor

Her hospital issued a statement, calling her a hero that “brought the highest ideals of medicine to the challenging front lines of the emergency department”.

“Our focus today is to provide support to her family, friends and colleagues as they cope with this news during what is already an extraordinarily difficult time.”

Friends of Lorna said that she’s an extremely bright and lively individual who dabbles in skiing, salsa dancing and throws a huge party on her roof once a year.

Dr Lawrence A. Melniker, the vice-chair for quality care at the NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital said that she is a well-respected and well-liked doctor in New York.

“You don’t get to a position like that at Allen without being very talented,” he added.

Another colleague added that she is a caring doctor who, even when contracted with Covid-19, is constantly checking in with the doctors in the department to check on how they’re doing.

Emergency Doctors Facing “Unusual” Mental Challenges

Dr Lawrence added that now, healthcare workers and emergency doctors in New York are facing mental challenges that are out of the norm.

While they are used to grisly scenes, they usually do not have to worry about getting infected themselves and transmitting it to their loved ones.

And rarely, he stresses, do they have to treat their own coworkers.

Mental Health Help Is Important

If you notice a family member, friend or colleague who’s behaving out of the norm, talk to him or her and try to find out if anything’s wrong.

The Samaritans of Singapore has a 24-hour hotline which you or anyone who’s affected by the thoughts of suicide can call: 1800-221 4444.

As it was once mentioned before, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Tightened Circuit Breaker that we’re in now, means we have to give up a lot of things.

For those who find themselves in need of emotional help, you can call the National Care hotline at 6202-6868.

The National Care Hotline will offer emotional support to anyone who needs it, “be it stress over finances or marital and family tensions”.

The Ministry of Health has also included psychology and social work as essential medical services in Singapore today.