WaterStone Bank Salute to Service – sponsored by General Communications and The Packing House
In the fall of 2019, Lauren Perow lost her husband of less than three months, when he was killed in a freak accident while camping on an elk hunting trip.
With two sons to take care of by herself, Lauren, a nurse practioner at Aurora St. Lukes who works with patients with advanced heart failure, realized she would have to focus on not only her own grief, but also her two sons.
“It was a surreal feeling, but I was able to really focus on the boys, and making sure they were taken care of physically and emotionally,” Lauren remembers.
In addition to her personal story, Lauren – and anyone working in healthcare during a global pandemic – has to not only protect her own safety, but that of her immediate family, which meant removing all of her hospital clothing before she can enter her own house. A ritual she performs after every shift.
“On top of being a solo parent, I had to adjust to this new way of living, with social distancing restrictions, and that has been a real challenge,” she adds.
For her incredible commitment to her profession, and her family, Lauren Perow is one of our Salute to Service honorees for 2020.
