Last year, as the coronavirus was beginning its global spread and countries everywhere were instituting quarantines and stay-at-home orders, Pharmacist Fanny Coulombe started to worry about her patients.
Fanny, who is also an Amway Independent Business Owner, works at a small pharmacy in Quebec and saw her customers become increasingly stressed out and fearful.
“We were inundated with calls,” Fanny recalls. “People had so many questions – about their symptoms, about COVID, about what they should do and what they should take. They were worried and anxious.”
People need human contact
Fanny has strong connections with her patients. She understood that they needed extra support during the pandemic. “I put myself in their shoes,” Fanny says.
“They were in lockdown and many of them were confined to their homes. For some, their health was deteriorating because they could no longer go out or see their families or close relatives. They couldn’t get human contact.”
“Above all,” Fanny remembers, “people needed to be heard.”
So Fanny made the decision to be there for them. No matter how many times the phone rang and no matter how many questions they asked, she wanted to help. She stayed calm so her patients would, too.
Celebrating heroes
In response to the global health crisis, everyday people like Fanny became Everyday Heroes – and Amway is celebrating their stories. From sacrificing time with their families to sewing hundreds of face masks, these Everyday Heroes gave of themselves to serve and bring joy to others during trying times.
Her caring shined
“Fanny was amazing,” says Nadia Cusson, her coworker at the pharmacy. “She was so reassuring. She never lost her patience. Even after the 50th time of answering questions, anyone would have lost their patience – but not Fanny. She would do anything to make sure her patients are OK. She cares so much about them.”
Day after day, Fanny’s warmth and caring approach came through to everyone she came in contact with, even if it was over the telephone.
Learning from her Amway team
“I know my patients really appreciated that I tried to keep a smile on my face, to be joyful, to be their ray of sunshine,” Fanny recalls. “Even if I didn’t see them in person, I knew they could hear it in my voice. Many told me that they felt better after talking to me and thanked me. It was really gratifying.”
Keeping a positive attitude, especially during tough times, is something she learned from the leaders on her Amway team, she says.
“Our leaders have always given of themselves, no matter what,” Fanny says. “I want to continue to give the best of myself, whether it’s with my patients, my colleagues at the pharmacy or the IBOs on our team. I’m simply following the example that I’ve been taught.”
Her giving provides for elementary students
In addition to being named one of Amway’s Everyday Heroes, Fanny was among those nominated and honored in 2020 as part of Amway’s #GiveToGivers contest, which recognized those going above and beyond amid the pandemic.
Because there were so many worthy nominations, six runner-up winners were chosen and received a $1,000 donation to the charity of their choice. Fanny was one of those runners-up and Amway made a $1,000 donation in her name to Fondation de la Tablée populaire (Foundation of the People’s Table) in Quebec, which delivers free breakfast and lunch to elementary students in need.
You can read more stories about Amway’s IBOs, philanthropic partners and employees who are leading with their hearts during these historic times at Amway Connections.
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