CHEO nurses and staff receive generous gift in return for help early in pandemic
Nurses and other staff at CHEO received a $25,000 gift from Sienna Senior Living as a thank you for the work they did during the early days of the pandemic.
There were very dark days at the beginning of the pandemic for the Madonna Care Community in Orléans, and so many other homes across the province and country.
“Lots of people not really knowing what’s going to take place and we, unfortunately had the beginnings of a large outbreak,” Jennifer Powley, Sienna Senior Living V.P. of Regional Operations tells CTV News Ottawa.
It was a time of crisis, as COVID outbreaks were taking the lives of residents and staff at many seniors’ residences and long-term care homes.
“One of the biggest things we needed was staffing; we needed support, we needed people to come in and help care for our seniors,” said Powley.
Sienna Senior Living put out a call for help at Madonna Care Community and the nurses and other staff at CHEO answered.
“A lot of their own staff were sick, and a lot of their residents were ill, so they needed help,” says Helen Yoxon, a CHEO nurse who spearheaded redeployment efforts.
“CHEO was not in need as much as they are now and we jumped at the opportunity to offer our assistance,” she says.
It was a pivot from taking care of the youngest patients to the oldest.
“We wanted to help our community. You jump in with two feet, as a nurse. That’s one of the reasons I went into nursing. So when we saw these people were in need, we went for it,” she says.
Now, at a time when CHEO is struggling with an overflowing ICU, as respiratory illnesses like RSV, the flu and, COVID-19 are hitting kids hard, Sienna Senior Living is returning a favour, and saying thanks.
Tuesday morning, Sienna Senior Living donated a $25,000. The money will be used to create a ‘Care Cart’ to provide snacks and other comfort items to those working tirelessly at CHEO, says Steve Read, CHEO Foundation President & CEO.
“Maybe, more importantly, it’s a reminder to them that while they’re working so hard in extraordinarily challenging circumstances internally here, the community is behind them,” he says.
“During times of crisis, you really know who your friends are and CHEO went above and beyond during the COVID crisis at some of our homes, and came to support us in a very meaningful way and now, this is our time return the favour,” Nitin Jain, Sienna’s President and CEO tells CTV News Ottawa.
It is a gesture and gift that will hopefully have an impact on those taking care of the youngest patients in need.
“I think it’s really beautiful,” says Yoxon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.