STEFANSKI BECAME PUBLIC FACE OF COVID-19 RESPONSE

SANDY MELANCON / THE CROWLEY POST-SIGNAL
One of Acadiana’s most trusted voices throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been that of Dr. Tina Stefanski.
As the medical director of the Louisiana Office of Public Health for Region 4 (Acadiana), she has spent the past year dashing from meetings with doctors and public officials to televised news conferences to schools to public health units to numerous public speaking engagements, always sharing the latest news and advice on COVID.
With so much contradictory information on the virus, many people were not sure whose advice they should follow. But people around here knew and trusted Dr. Stefanski. And when she spoke, they tended to listen attentively.
Most people in Crowley who watched her grow up simply call her Tina; and all around town you could hear people saying, “Tina was on TV last night and she said.....” And their tone of voice let you know that they trusted her words and were willing to follow her advice.
Although she now resides in Lafayette, Stefanski is very proud of growing up and receiving her education in Crowley. Inspired by Dr. Jack Frank and Dr. Tom Casanova, beloved local physicians known for compassionate care of their patients, she decided to become a pediatrician. So off she went to LSU and then LSU Medical School.
While working with children in community clinics during her residency, she began to realize the important role that public health plays in providing critical information and services to all Louisiana citizens.
So upon graduation, Stefanski began working with the Office of Public Health, a state organization that typically deals with infectious diseases and environmental hazards such as unsafe drinking water. But a year ago, COVID suddenly became their main focus.
In the beginning of the pandemic when little was known about the virus or its treatment and there was no cure, death was the usual outcome of a COVID infection. So as disagreeable as they may have been, she says the restrictions that were put into place were absolutely necessary to slow transmissions, buy time for scientists and doctors to figure out this new virus, and ultimately save lives.
She feels that Region 4/Acadiana handled the new protocols of lockdowns, shutdowns, mask wearing and social distancing of the past year quite well. When trying to get people to follow these new guidelines, Stefanski found that if she explained the “why,” people were more likely to do the right thing and act for the greater good.
The most enjoyable part of Stefanski’s job is being able to educate people in all walks of life on health strategies that can prolong and enrich their lives.
During the ongoing pandemic, the most satisfying part of her job has been helping set up vaccination centers that allow people to feel safe and start living again. And the most difficult part of her job has been talking to the many people who lost family members due to COVID.
Stefanski’s motto is “Treat other people as you want to be treated,” and she tries to treat all her patients as though they were members of her own family. She defines success as doing something that makes you happy while also benefiting others.
Empathetic, grateful, and practical are the three words she would use to describe herself. And if she weren’t a doctor, she would like to be a pre-K teacher.
Stefanski holds her family very close to her heart. Being able to see her grandparents almost every day is what she loved most about growing up in Crowley. Asked what makes her happy, she said her nieces and nephews always make her laugh. And her greatest inspiration has come from her parents who taught her that being a good person has nothing to do with money or possessions or fame.
Her love for her hometown is evident. She said she couldn’t have chosen a better place to grow up because Crowley is such a beautiful little town with friendly people who look out for each other.
She enjoys visiting family and returns to Crowley frequently to see her parents, Steve and Mary Ann Stefanski, and to enjoy her mom’s delicious grape leaf rolls and iced tea.
Looking back on the past year, Stefanski said that the pandemic has made her realize that perhaps we run too much, too fast and that slowing down and cutting back are not necessarily bad things. She has also learned that smaller gatherings that bring people and families closer together in meaningful ways can be much more rewarding than big, crowded events.
In conclusion, Stefanski says health care professionals are beginning to see a light at the end of this long, dark tunnel. But she warns that the pandemic is not over and urges everyone not to become complacent. She encourages all people to continue to follow the recommended protocols and advises everyone who truly wants to be part of the solution to get vaccinated.
(Spotlight on Crowley is a regular semi-monthly feature of The Crowley Post-Signal.)