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Hartington native volunteers at NY hospital

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Deanna Anderson

Cedar County News

HARTINGTON — An Intensive Care Unit nurse with roots in Cedar County has stepped in to help relieve New York City healthcare workers.

Lilia (Kathol) Hansen, a 1980 Hartington Public High School graduate, left her home in Omaha last week and flew into New York City, the epicenter of the national outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic. 

New York City is in desperate need of ICU nurses, according to Hansen. It took less than 24 hours for Hansen to be notified she had the position at Mount Sinai Hospital, located in the upper east side of New York.

“There were no interviews, they just went on my resume,” Hansen said. “It has been a whirlwind for sure, to get ready and get all the paperwork in order. I had my flight changed four times.”

Hansen began two days of orientation at Mount Sinai Hospital April 9 and is working the night shift, which was her choice, in the intensive care unit.  Her contract ends May 30. Hansen is staying with family friends in New Jersey, which is only 35 minutes, on a good day of traffic, from the hospital where she is working.

Hansen knows this was the right choice for her to make, but she also appreciates prayers that are being said on her behalf.    

“I would be lying to say I’m not nervous, but this is the right thing for me to do. I am not high risk and I have 35 years of ICU skills that are valuable at this time,” Hansen said. “I couldn’t just sit back and not help.”

Lilia is the daughter of Ivo and Bernadette Kathol who lived north of Hartington. The couple had eight daughters and two sons. 

Rita (Kathol) Pedersen, who teaches at Hartington-Newcastle School, is one of the daughters.  Lilia has another sibling who was also a nurse.

“Karen Heimes was the oldest of the sisters and Lilia is the youngest. Both are nurses,” Pedersen said. “They took their nursing profession very seriously and loved what they did. If Karen were here, she would have done this, too.”

Pederson still remembers some of the advice their dad gave his kids when they were growing up.

“All of us had the opportunity to go to college. My dad told us there will always be kids to teach and sick people to take care of,” Pedersen said.