Remembering Dr. Toma Guberski

Dr. Guberski teaching on one of many trips to Kenya.

With tremendous sadness, Ciheb mourns the passing of Thomasine “Toma” Guberski, PhD, CRNP, a decades-long pillar of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and Institute of Human Virology (IHV) community. Dr. Guberski, a PhD trained nurse practitioner, dedicated much of her career serving as part of a multidisciplinary team of HIV experts supporting the development of comprehensive care and treatment models to provide antiretroviral therapy (ART) to HIV/AIDS patients in Baltimore and across sub-Saharan Africa, benefitting millions of lives.

Dr. Guberski retired this summer after a decorated 50-year career at UMB. She worked on the frontlines providing care for people living with HIV since AIDS emerged in the 1980s. In 2004 she expanded her focus to include people living with HIV around the globe where she helped expand HIV treatment access in regions hard hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic around the world through the Institute of Human Virology’s work under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).  

Dr. Guberski loved traveling to Africa, the Caribbean, and Guyana to teach healthcare providers to administer ART and develop nursing curriculum on continuity of care. She was a leader in the task-shifting movement for nurse prescribing of ART, and she always believed in the abilities and contributions of nurses everywhere. She cared deeply for her patients and was committed to the IHV international program. She always believed that everyone, no matter where they were in the world or what their circumstances were, deserved the best possible care, with no exceptions. Despite the long flights and difficult drives to remote sites required for her work, Dr. Guberski consistently showed up, never complained, and always offered to do more. 

Dr. Guberski always insisted on doing the right thing and striving for excellence, even when it was unpopular or difficult. She was never afraid to speak her mind, whether in front of a 200-person group meeting or one on one. Dr. Guberski was a compassionate, driven, loyal, and steadfast colleague who helped change the landscape of HIV care and treatment in resource-limited settings.

To her colleagues, friends, and students at UMB, Dr. Guberski; Toma, was a wonderful role model and mentor. She leaves behind an impeccable legacy of contributions to UMB and her patients. She will be sorely missed.

Details of the funeral service are below:

Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
5200 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, 21210
Saturday, October 16, 10 a.m.
Will be live-streamed on their website: 

https://www.cathedralofmary.org 

The burial will be in Massachusetts.

Donations in Toma’s honor can be made to the Thomasine Guberski Award for Excellence in Adult Primary Care or to the charity of your choice.