--- title: Putting Patients First... Anywhere description: In the early days of the outbreak, Cleveland Clinic reached out to health systems in the hardest-hit areas of the country to provide assistance. Soon after, hundreds of Cleveland Clinic caregivers offered their services. image: https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202020/Putting%20Patients%20First...%20Anywhere/1200x630-Social-PuttingPatientsFirst.jpg --- [![Cleveland Clinic Magazine - Giving Does Good | Summer 2020](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202020/logo-cc-magazine-2020-summer-mb-inverse.png?noresize&width=224&height=38&name=logo-cc-magazine-2020-summer-mb-inverse.png) ![Cleveland Clinic Magazine - Giving Does Good | Summer 2020](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202020/logo-cc-magazine-2020-summer-inverse.png?noresize&width=552&height=65&name=logo-cc-magazine-2020-summer-inverse.png)](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/?hsLang=en) [Donate](https://give.ccf.org/CCMAG) CARE # Putting Patients First... Anywhere ## Share - [Share on facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/putting-patients-first-anywhere&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) - [Share on twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/putting-patients-first-anywhere&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/putting-patients-first-anywhere&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) - [Share on linkedin](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/putting-patients-first-anywhere&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) - [Share on email](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20Putting%20Patients%20First...%20Anywhere%20&body=Check%20out%20https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/putting-patients-first-anywhere&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email) United Airlines donated flights for the mercy mission to New York City. | Photo: Stephen Travarca In the early days of the outbreak, Cleveland Clinic reached out to health systems in the hardest-hit areas of the country to provide assistance. Soon after, hundreds of Cleveland Clinic caregivers offered their services. ![1030x540-PuttingPatientsFirst-1](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202020/Putting%20Patients%20First...%20Anywhere/1030x540-PuttingPatientsFirst-1.jpg?width=1030&height=540&name=1030x540-PuttingPatientsFirst-1.jpg) *As nurses departed for Detroit, colleagues showed their support. | Photo: Stephen Travarca* Twelve physicians and 15 nurses provided front-line reinforcements at New York-Presbyterian hospitals in New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States. A group of nurses did the same at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. ![1030x540-PuttingPatientsFirst-2](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202020/Putting%20Patients%20First...%20Anywhere/1030x540-PuttingPatientsFirst-2.jpg?width=1030&height=540&name=1030x540-PuttingPatientsFirst-2.jpg) *Hugs were exchanged at a send-off for caregivers headed to Abu Dhabi. | Photo: Don Gerda* Caregivers also came to the aid of others in need around the world. In England, where Cleveland Clinic London will open in 2021, Cleveland Clinic physicians, nurses and pharmacists stepped up to assist with the National Health Service’s pandemic response. And in the United Arab Emirates, home to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, caregivers from the U.S. also helped battle COVID-19. “It really felt like it was a calling,” says Lauren Lowery, PRN, an ICU nurse from Cleveland Clinic’s main campus who went to New York-Presbyterian. “We’ve all gone into a profession where we have chosen to go help those in need.” Cleveland Clinic caregivers who came to the aid of patients with COVID-19 in New York City and Detroit reflect on their experiences. ## In this Issue ### [![Hundreds of empty hospital beds connected with copper tubbing lined up within a large room inside the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202020/Hope%20in%20the%20time%20of%20covid/242x214-Small-Thumbnail-HopeInTheTimeOfCOVID.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=242x214-Small-Thumbnail-HopeInTheTimeOfCOVID.jpg) INTRO Hope in the Time of COVID-19](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/hope-in-the-time-of-covid-19?hsLang=en) ### [![collage of 10 doctors ](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202020/Heroes%20Among%20Us/Heroes-SmallThumbnail-242x214.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=Heroes-SmallThumbnail-242x214.jpg) PROFILES IN HOPE The Heroes Among Us](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/the-heroes-among-us?hsLang=en) ### [![An illustration of a big green circle with protruding circles on a right yellow-green background with two black block figures standing far away from each other on a blue triangle shape. ](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202020/Road%20to%20Recovery/242x214-SmallThumbnail-RoadToRecovery.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=242x214-SmallThumbnail-RoadToRecovery.jpg) PERSPECTIVE Road to Recovery](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/road-to-recovery?hsLang=en) ### [![Dr. Mihaljevic wearing a face mask.](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202020/A%20Way%20Forward%20-%20Dr.%20Mihaljevic/2-242x214-SmallThumbnail-AWayForward.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=2-242x214-SmallThumbnail-AWayForward.jpg) INTERVIEW 'A Way Forward'](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/a-way-forward?hsLang=en) - [Archive](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/archive?hsLang=en) - [Contact](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/contact?hsLang=en) - [Subscribe](https://donate.clevelandclinic.org/sign-up?hsLang=en) [Donate](https://give.ccf.org/CCMAG) [![Cleveland Clinic](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine%20Template%20Assets/img/logo-cc.png?width=300&name=logo-cc.png "Cleveland Clinic")](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/) © 2026 Cleveland Clinic. All rights reserved. - [Archive](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/archive?hsLang=en) - [Contact](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2020-summer/contact?hsLang=en) - [Subscribe](https://donate.clevelandclinic.org/sign-up?hsLang=en) [Donate](https://give.ccf.org/CCMAG)