2020 was marked by the unanimous feeling that the world was ablaze. Life comprised of Zoom classes and daily doses of devastating news – climbing counts of COVID-19, the senseless killing of George Floyd, the unrelenting Australian bushfires, and divisive 2020 United States presidential election. Reflecting on these events, I was drawn to their unsung heroes – front-line workers who took a chance on the first COVID-19 vaccines, members of the budding BLM movement, firefighters who rescued both two- and four-legged habitants, and people who held on to hope for a better future and casted their vote.

Shirley Deng

Shirley is a PGY3 General Surgery resident at the University of Toronto. When not in the hospital, she tries to indulge in her first love – art!

Declaration of interests:

I have read and understood the BMJ Group policy on declaration of interests and declare the following interests: none.