When Dr. Raynald Samoa received the order to evacuate his Altadena home on Jan. 7, he wasn’t sure if he would ever see it again.
That night, Samoa and his family, along with their two dogs, cat, and bunny fled for safety as a fierce windstorm fueled a firestorm called the Eaton fire that would change their lives, and thousands more in the matter of minutes.
The next morning, they found out that their house burned down in the fire’s path through Altadena.
And yet, there was Samoa on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at work at City of Hope. Samoa decided to continue seeing patients at the cancer hospital, where he works as an endocrinology specialist in the internal medicine and pediatric clinics.
In the two days following the outbreak of the fire, Samoa took tele-health appointments, then went back to the hospital to see patients in-person the Friday after the fire broke out.
“It was partly because of what I went through, and partly what’s supporting me that made me decide to go back,” said Samoa.
Samoa was not alone in experiencing loss.
Even amid the chaos and uncertain about the fate of their homes in the fire, hundreds of doctors, nurses and staff at City of Hope reported to the cancer hospital in the middle of the night last week to help their patients and continue to work.
And like Samoa, others also would lose their homes.
Among them were Samoa’s colleagues Moni Amini, a case worker at the hospital, and Dr. Randy Taplitz.
“Even as this terrifying blaze raged on, I have been overwhelmed by our City of Hope team’s response, who continued to put the needs of our patients and their fellow colleagues first,” said the hospital’s CEO, Robert Stone.
Stone said for the employees displaced the hospital is working to secure transitional hotel accommodations, alternate housing, crisis and child care, along with psychosocial support, and launching a support fund.
“Within our own City of Hope family, the pain is felt deeply,” Stone said. “Hundreds of our dedicated staff…
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