When going through old personnel files, Peabody Health Director Sharon Cameron discovered something surprising: a 1965 letter from the board to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination regarding the open position of Public Health Director.
“Gentlemen,” the letter read, “The position requires the services of a male applicant. The position has always been filled by a male for the reason the duties and services require the inspection of drinking establishments, field work pertaining to cesspools and septic systems as well as being on call twenty-four hours a day.”
Cameron held onto the letter, feeling like it was a piece of the history of the position that she now holds.
“When I remember that that happened during my lifetime, it’s amazing,” she said. “You would think it’s ancient history, but it’s not.”
Cameron, along with Lynn Public Health Director Michele Desmarais, are two of the only female health directors in the area. Both said that even though they may be fairly unique, they have never felt like their gender affects their position.
“I don’t think it makes a difference,” Desmarais said. “I just think it’s based on your knowledge and your experience in the healthcare industry.”
Lynn native Desmarais has been in her current position since 2016, but worked in other healthcare-related roles before that.
“I’ve always been interested in health and trying to take care of people,” she said. “Being able to give back to the city where I grew up was very rewarding to me.”
Cameron also has a long healthcare background, but she didn’t always know what she wanted to do. After college, she attended one year of veterinary school before deciding it wasn’t right for her.
“I kind of stumbled into public health not knowing what it was, other than having a general understanding that you’d be helping people in your community live healthier lives,” she said. “Once I got into the field I realized how many different facets of everyday life it touches. It really is amazing and fascinating and a different job every day. You really have an opportunity to see the impact of the work you’re doing.”
Never has that been more true than in the past year, as a global pandemic spread through the community, affecting every aspect of people’s lives. Both women said that dealing with COVID-19 has been incredibly challenging, and that they have had to constantly make tough decisions about how to best protect their communities.
Desmarais said that she has learned a lot over the past year because of these challenges.
“Some of the decisions weren’t always accepted, and they weren’t always happy decisions, but I think and I believe they were decisions to try to keep the city of Lynn safe,” she said.
Cameron shared similar sentiments, saying that her role within the community has helped her combat the helpless and hopeless feelings that have plagued so many in a dark year.
“I keep coming back to how fortunate I am to really be in a role where I can have an impact for so many people,” she said. “So many people have found hope and meaning during the pandemic by stepping in, whether they volunteered at a food pantry or made phone calls to people making vaccination appointments. I think all those things have helped people get through the pandemic, and I know it’s helped me.”
