Disneyland nurse leaps into action as life-saving Disney Hero
Mild-mannered Disneyland nurse Angela Gallegos-Macias is a life-saving Disney Hero who wears a white lab coat to work rather than a super suit like Elastigirl, Black Widow or Captain Marvel.
Gallegos-Macias doesn’t have to hide her superhero alter ego at the Disneyland Cast Health Services clinic where she has worked for 23 years — because her co-workers nominated her for the prestigious honor.
She won the Disney Heroes Award for her heroic life-saving efforts immediately following an accident on the 405 Freeway in Fountain Valley in the summer of 2012.
“It was a motor vehicle versus a motorcycle accident on the freeway,” Gallegos-Macias said during an online video interview. “I actually stopped, rendered aid and saved his life.”
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Gallegos-Macias had been working as an emergency room nurse at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Long Beach for about seven years in 2002 when a co-worker mentioned her side gig as a Disneyland nurse.
“I thought it would be a good fit for me,” said Gallegos-Macias, 53, of West Covina. “I’d always liked Disneyland and I love to take care of people.”
Today her job is to take care of the people she works with — her Disneyland co-workers.
She finds fulfillment and purpose in supporting, uplifting and connecting with her fellow cast members, Disney parlance for employees.
On a typical day, she runs a blood pressure clinic for employees or leads a talk on workplace safety. The Disneyland clinic runs preventive wellness programs, offers flu vaccinations and staffs a dedicated nurses’ hotline for quick guidance.
“There’s always been a deep sense of purpose in my work,” said the mother of three and grandmother of four. “If I can make a cast member feel better, more comfortable or more confident in their health, then I know I’ve done my job well.”
Gallegos-Macias is part of a team of 20 healthcare professionals at Disneyland that are broken into two groups — one focusing on the health and wellness of employees and the other on basic first aid for theme park visitors.
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Disneyland employees come into the Cast Health Services clinic for everything from trip and fall occupational injuries to ongoing health issues like diabetes or asthma. The clinic nurses can refer more involved cases to Disneyland Chief Physician Seung Lee.
“Our cast come in with different injuries, illnesses and concerns,” Gallegos-Macias said. “We address it, take care of them and we educate. A big portion of this is health and wellness, because we want to address all their needs, not just their occupational needs.”
As an ER nurse, Gallegos-Macias only heard a small part of her patient’s story without ever finding out how it ended. At Disneyland, she often gets to see a patient’s entire health care story arc — from beginning to end.
“I have had connections with cast members where I have actually helped them create serious change in their life,” Gallegos-Macias said. “It has helped me grow as a person and helped me be a better nurse for others.”
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Clinic visits are free for employees regardless of their healthcare insurance.
A full-service pharmacy offers discounted rates on medications and prescriptions. Health Services can refer employees to athletic training, child care and elder care programs created just for Disneyland cast members.
Gallegos-Macias also serves as one of Disney’s public health nurses, caring for the physical and emotional health of employees at both Disneyland and Disney World.
As part of her duties, she watches for emerging health and safety trends among the 36,000 Disneyland and 80,000 Disney World employees and refers the issues to safety team leaders at the two theme park resorts.