Anastasia Lusnia is a unique individual who is juggling two very different roles to make ends meet in Tampa, Florida.
Lusnia works long and tiring 12-hour shifts at Tampa General Hospital, often on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and occasionally even Sundays.
As a registered nurse in the Vascular ICU unit, Lusnia’s primary focus is caring for surgical patients as they transition from the operating room to the ICU, a demanding and stressful responsibility that she handles with dedication.
Despite the demanding nature of her nursing job, Lusnia also pursued a lifelong passion for dance. Last summer, she successfully auditioned to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleading team, allowing her to split her time between cheering at Raymond James Stadium and tending to patients at the hospital.
Dancing since the age of three, Lusnia’s love for performing shines through as she describes the thrill of being on the field at Raymond James Stadium during Buccaneers games. Her first season coincided with the team acquiring star players like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, culminating in the Buccaneers making it to the Super Bowl, where Lusnia cheered them on to victory.
The unique convergence of her two worlds came full circle when the NFL honored vaccinated healthcare workers, including Lusnia, by allowing them to attend Super Bowl LV. This experience was especially meaningful to her, as it combined her passion for dance with her dedication to nursing.
Despite the challenges of balancing two demanding roles, Lusnia finds joy and fulfillment in being part of these special and exciting moments both on the field and in the hospital.
“I know both worlds! In the hospital, I see all of the hard work that everybody has done over the past year and just how stressful it’s been and to be rewarded,” she said. “It was truly just an experience of a lifetime. The confetti dropping at the end and the fireworks where is the best part of it all just being right there.” Auditions for next season happen in May.
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