When he was a kid, Chris Daymon’s idea of a hero was largely inspired by a collection of early Superman comics.
“A ‘hero,’” he tells Dubai Vibes Magazine, “was somebody who had supernatural powers like being able to fly or have laser vision or the strength to bend steel.”
“But as I grew up,” he added, “I realized everyone can be a hero and an inspiration to many.”
Indeed, the pandemic tested everyone’s survival skills. And for Chris, it was about a career shift from being a successful fashion writer and a researcher to a Covid nurse.
“In March last year, I lost my job as a researcher for a semi-government company that track updates and news on construction projects in the region. After being jobless for a month and two weeks, I realized that the pain, anguish and despair at times could be really unbearable. I was depressed. It was difficult to think where to get your means of income,” recalls Chris.
“One of my friends told me to try my luck at being Covid-19 Nurse. I got the job and became team leader of a Swab Team in Ajman. Then I was transferred to Al Razeen 4 Quarantine Facilities in Abu Dhabi where I became the head nurse of the evening shift.
“Today, I am working with a Dubai team as a Covid-19 vaccination nurse. I have been lucky enough to have had the pleasure of meeting some healthcare professionals, who have inspired me.
“My life experiences have helped me realize that I feel the best about myself when I am given the opportunity to help and care for others,” Chris says.
Having a career revision was tough, he said. “There will be certain adjustments. But it’s more challenging. In the nursing profession, you deal with many aspects of patient care, and I enjoy the variety in the routine.
“At the risk of personal safety, we go to work every day at a clinic or hospital and help patients deal with symptoms related to Covid-19. It is an act of great courage to willingly enter an environment that could expose us to the coronavirus,” Chris says.
Despite this, he said he is always ready to go back to the frontline. “That is where I am needed,” he said.
Chris arrived in Dubai six years ago. His first job was being a customer service and sales. He met iconic Filipino fashion designer Michael Cinco who saw his talent in writing and collaborated with him.
