New Jersey Gov. Philip Murphy had to jump into action hours after having surgery to remove a cancerous tumor removed from his kidney. With his state announcing its first coronavirus case, a restful recovery was no longer an option. His medical team advised taking four weeks until he returned to full governor mode, but nine days after surgery he held his first public briefing on the public health crisis.

Murphy said, “Slowly getting back to work went out the window” as he took on the role to protect, comfort and provide leadership to a state with over nine million people (and with the country’s second highest number of COVID-19 cases). His evolving actions amidst his own personal health challenges are also documented in this more recent New York Times article, He Got Off the Table After Cancer Surgery to Take On the Virus.

To learn more about Murphy’s ongoing efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.