Local cancer survivor recognized for exceptional work as an essential worker

Our neighborhood hero this week is an essential worker in Cathedral City. Griselda Govera is a breast cancer survivor working at the Food4Less grocery store.

If you head to the back of the Food4Less grocery store in Cathedral City you'll find Griselda Govera making a difference.


"I like my job every day," Govera told News Channel 3.

Despite speaking little English, her life speaks volumes. Govera's manager, Astrid Buehler wants to recognize her work.


"She goes above and beyond every day and comes to work uplifting everyone, very supportive of her team, her peers as workers and she's just an overall exceptional employee during this time," Buehler said.

Govera has worked at this grocery store for seven years. 



"She does an excellent job in our seafood department and I never have to worry about our seafood department being up and ready to go for our customers first thing in the morning," Buehler said.

What most of her customers don't realize is Govera is putting her life at risk by working during this pandemic. After 10 chemo treatments, 7 seven weeks of radiation, and a tumor removed she conquered stage two breast cancer but that left her with a compromised immune system. We asked her why she's putting her life on the line.


"For my family, my daughters, one is 22 and the other one is almost 10," Govera said.

"She comes in for her family and I just want to recognize her as an essential worker, as a cancer survivor as well and she's just going over the top every day to make sure she brings great customer service and she's supporting her family day in and day out," Buehler said.

She's also inspired Buehler to work extra hard at enforcing COVID-19 protocols to keep employees like Govera safe.

"With work, we have everything, without work we have nothing," Govera said.