BALTIMORE — More than 65 first responders and top trauma medicine professionals who saved the lives of two critically ill patients were honored on Thursday at the 31st annual R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Celebration of Heroes.
One of the patients nearly died of multiple organ failure as the result of COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic and the other patient was severely injured when his SUV was struck head on by a car traveling at a high rate of speed.
His recovery, according to his care team, was “nothing short of miraculous.”
The celebration which is held every year was held virtually this year for the first time because of the pandemic. It honors the state's EMS clinicians and trauma professionals who represent Maryland’s unique, highly coordinated trauma system in saving the lives of the most critically injured.
“At the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, we remain at the forefront of the COVID-19 response, providing critical care to the sickest of the sick while also treating victims of unexpected tragedy,” said Thomas M. Scalea, MD, the Honorable Francis X. Kelly Distinguished Professor of Trauma Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and Physician-in-Chief of the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. “The pandemic is like nothing we have ever seen before, but we continue to adapt and stand ready to provide complex care to every patient, under every circumstance.”
“Our trauma teams have shown a tremendous amount of courage, expertise, compassion and resilience,” noted Dr. Scalea, who is also System Chief for Critical Care Services at the University of Maryland Medical System.
Funds from this year’s event will benefit the Center for Critical Care and Trauma Education, which is designed to train medical and EMS clinicians to manage the most critically injured patients who require the most advanced initial trauma resuscitation and trauma critical care to survive.
