HYANNIS – A Cape Cod physician who was on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic says that he will be running in the upcoming Boston Marathon in honor of medical patients who passed away due to the disease.
Dr. Marcial Santos said in an interview with CapeCod.com that as a Liberty Commons Physician and hospitalist at Cape Cod Hospital, he witnessed first hand the severity of the disease in some patients.
“COVID-19 has been such a difficult time—a difficult disease. When the pandemic started, it changed our life tremendously,” said Santos.
He said that treatments and vaccines have changed the course of the pandemic for the better, but he does not want to forget those who suffered or died from the disease, especially early at the start of the global health crisis.
“It was so hard for us to see this. Yes, we were following all these guidelines and providing all the medical support that we had on hand, but we still felt it was just not enough.”
“I do not want to forget how fragile life can be,” said Santos.
Marcial is part of the Esplanade Association in Boston, a group dedicated to supporting open space along the Charles River.
The association is acting as umbrella sponsor for his marathon bid, which requires $11,000 to qualify for the event.
To donate to Dr. Santos’s fundraising efforts, click here. The full interview with Marcial Santos can be found below.