Never have poet\/school nurse Cheryl Williams’s two careers been as intertwined as they have been since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic several months ago.<\/p>\n
Williams has a history of merging her writing with her day job (see the 10\/28\/19 issue of Campus Times<\/em><\/a><\/strong>). She tackles bullying in her award-winning collection of poetry – A Collection Of Poems: A Journey Through Life –\u00a0<\/em>and as a nurse at a Long Island elementary school. Now she is taking on a fight that has life-threatening consequences: teaching school children how to survive the virus and avoid spreading it.<\/p>\n One avenue she has taken is YouTube, where she has posted a video on proper <\/strong>hand washing<\/u><\/b><\/span><\/a>. Another encourages students to dig deep and find their inner hero <\/a><\/strong>during these challenging times.<\/p>\n “My intention is to educate and empower these children to do their part in making a difference, protecting those around them,” Williams says.<\/p>\n Williams has also written a poem, addressing these issues. Titled “Healthy Soldiers,” it begins this way:<\/p>\n We are healthy soldiers<\/em> We must always sneeze in our sleeves<\/em> The poem concludes with:<\/p>\n Together we can build a fort<\/em> Williams has had her own personal fight, having contracted the coronavirus after her husband was exposed. She made a video about that too, detailing her harrowing experience<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n “On March 23, 2020, a killer infiltrated my home,” she says. “At that moment I knew I had to fight for my life.<\/p>\n “In my case, my husband was exposed, and became infected. We slept inches apart. Social distancing wasn\u2019t implemented, as we were unaware that he was infected until about a week later, when he started complaining that his allergies were acting up, and he presented with a cough.<\/p>\n “About five days later, my symptoms started out with simple sore muscles, and progressed quickly. We were told that blacks with comorbidities were dying at an alarming rate. I am a black woman. I am asthmatic and hypertensive.<\/p>\n “There were days I thought I wasn\u2019t going to make it. But deep down I believed that God was going to see me through.<\/p>\n “Today, I am still fighting to be able to complete my daily responsibilities without the crippling effects of fatigue. I am so grateful that I am alive to share my story, as so many have lost their lives.<\/p>\n “My hope is that my story will motivate someone<\/a><\/strong>, somewhere to never give up.”<\/p>\n
\nWe have a part to play<\/em>
\nTo keep our bodies healthy<\/em>
\nAnd keep the germs away<\/em><\/p>\n
\nDo you know what that means?<\/em>
\nIt means we close our elbows tight<\/em>
\nAnd give our face a squeeze<\/em><\/p>\n
\nTo keep the germs outside<\/em>
\nLike soldiers on a mission<\/em>
\nFor our bodies we will fight<\/em><\/p>\n