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Colleen McDermott, MT(ASCP) Retiring

By Lynn McCain | October 23

Colleen McDermott2.pngPreparing stories about our long-time Pathology team members as they prepare for retirement is always bittersweet. Their stories are inspirational, but they invariably create a sense of loss when they depart. One such story is that of Colleen McDermott, MT(ASCP), who joined us on November 14, 1994 and will be departing us November 15, 2024, after thirty years of service.

McDermott was born and raised in Detroit and graduated from Madonna University with a degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. Following a one-year internship at Wayne County General Hospital, she passed her Medical Technologists certification, and was hired to work in their STAT laboratory, where she remained for five years. “We ran a bunch of different tests, chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, and blood bank. It was very interesting and instructive, because we were in the same footprint as the emergency room and would see all sorts of cases.” She then transferred to Roche Biomedical Laboratories where she worked in their toxicology laboratory in Livonia for eight years before joining the University of Michigan.

“I worked in toxicology for about ten years before transferring to the immunology laboratory, where I currently work. I’m involved in testing for autoimmune diseases like lupus and scleroderma, autoimmune hepatitis, and other conditions that fall under the rheumatology category. I also do workups for multiple myeloma patients, to see how well these patients are responding to treatment.”

McDermott continued, explaining the types of testing she does. Most of the autoimmune disease tests are indirect fluorescent assays, where we use various tissues to detect antibodies in a patient’s serum by tagging positive reactions with fluorescent particles that light up under a fluorescent microscope. “When things light up, we know the patient is positive. If it doesn’t light up, we know it is negative.”

Colleen McDermott with friends and colleagues Katie Eichbauer, Janice Caceres, Emerita Cross, and Mary Lou Erber.One of the motivating factors for McDermott to have stayed at U-M Pathology for thirty years was her coworkers. “I’ve always been very fortunate to work with a really good, dedicated group of coworkers. Particularly in the immunology laboratory, we have always been a really cohesive group and have gotten along well. We are very goal-oriented, and everyone pitches in and helps each other to ensure the work gets done. It was the same way when I was in toxicology. People just came together, and we kept the patient in mind. The samples we test are not just samples to us; they are patients.”

McDermott relates a story that drove home for her the importance of pulling together for patients, “I remember one day after dinner on my afternoon shift, I was strolling in the hospital. I looked up and I saw a younger couple with a small child. The child was obviously being treated for cancer and had lost all his hair. The dad had shaved his head, too, in support of his child. It just brought tears to my eyes. This is how we need to look after each other and our patients.”

Another memory that really stands out to her was the move of the Immunology laboratory from the Traverwood leased property to the North Campus Research Complex in 2018. “Everybody in the lab was involved with packing up, making suggestions for the layout, and pulling together as a team. It really brought our group together.”

After thirty years in the laboratory, McDermott has a few words of wisdom to share. “First of all, we need to remember why we are doing what we are doing. The focus of our work must be the patients and delivering good, reliable results for the patient and their clinicians. Second, stay engaged. I know this can be challenging, but stay involved with what is happening outside your little section of the laboratory. Engage mentally and educationally; there is so much to learn! Watch for what researchers are doing today that will impact your work in five or ten years. Continue to learn and grow.”

What’s next for McDermott? “I plan to do some traveling. Right after I retire, I am going to Arizona to visit with one of my sisters. Several of my siblings are also retiring this year, so we are looking forward to getting together for lunch. I am also toying with the idea of taking up an old hobby – creating stained glass. I also am looking forward to having the time to do more gardening.”

Thank you, Colleen, for all your hard work over the past thirty years. Congratulations, and enjoy your retirement!

 
retirement staff immunology toxicology clinical pathology
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