The impact of this loss on our staff has been immeasurable. The Board, management and staff of the HSA extend sincere condolences to her family, colleagues, and friends both in the Cayman Islands and elsewhere during this difficult time.
Dr Martinez is remembered by her colleagues at the HSA, patients and friends as a respected, hardworking, and compassionate young physician who was zealous about her career in medicine because she loved helping others.
Her professional history with the HSA began when she joined the organisation as a high school intern. Determined and very professional, Dr Martinez assisted in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department and shared her aspirations of becoming a medical doctor with colleagues. She also interned with the Public Health Department in 2014 working on projects of national concern before leaving for medical school in 2016. After fulfilling her goal and gaining her qualification as a physician she returned to the organsiation and worked closely with the Public Health and Primary Health Care team. She spoke to staff passionately about her next career step which was to attend a teaching hospital in the United Kingdom in the coming months to specialise in acute medicine. The team described her as a focussed, ambitious, responsible and assertive individual - an extraordinary young woman - kind, powerful, empathetic and intelligent.
Upon hearing the news of Dr Martinezs passing, the Health Services Authority's medical staff worked under challenging emotional circumstances despite their professional training.
Despite the grief that we feel, we are left with many memories of a wonderful human being who made a profound positive impact during her time with us.