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Collierville healthcare worker with cancer sews 2,300 masks

This is his way of helping since he can't work the frontlines during coronavirus pandemic

COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. —

By now you have heard of the shortage of masks and personal protective equipment known as PPE that many healthcare workers are dealing with during the coronavirus pandemic. One local healthcare worker undergoing cancer treatment says he is doing his part to help solve that dilemma. Michael Lester is spending 12 to 14  hours a day working with a sewing machine.

"This is my way of helping people on the frontlines. Since I can't be there on the frontline, I am doing this to help them," said Lester.

Lester would like to be alongside his fellow healthcare workers, but for now he is home making masks and caps. Lester is a surgical tech at Baptist DeSoto hospital who has battled face and neck cancer for the past 8 years.   Because his immune system is weak, he has to stay home from work. 

Instead of working at the hospital, he's turned to mask making and in the last few weeks he and his wife have made more than 2,300 masks and  almost 800 caps from his Collierville home.

"Word got out we were making masks and there were nurses that knew I were making masks so there were nurses asking for hats and masks and that is how this got started,” Lester said.

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"I knew when he came home he is somebody that  has got to stay busy," said Faith Lester, wife.

My wife cuts out the masks and I sew them together," said Lester, "I'm not able to go to the hospital. That is  where I really want to be, is on the frontline helping others, but I know with my body, is not going to let me do that," said Lester.

Lester hopes when the coronavirus crisis is over he will return to work,  until then he will keep sewing and praying.

"Each one of these masks has been prayed over and I hope everyone who wears the mask is blessed," said Lester.

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