Lisa Kokanie, NOSM staff member in Thunder Bay, is making masks for anyone who wants one! Lisa shares that they are appropriate for use in public spaces such as grocery stores, where social distancing can be difficult, and where the guidelines for not touching your face are extra important. These masks are meant to protect others from your germs, not protect you from other people’s germs. Lisa has constructed the masks from two layers of cotton with a nose wire, filter pocket and elastic loops for the ears. She’s not charging anything for the masks, except shipping costs for those being mailed outside of Thunder Bay. Lisa is accepting donations of elastic (1/4 inch and smaller) and pieces of 100% cotton fabric. Some people have donated money via e-transfer, which she has put toward replenishing supplies. Lisa currently has 150 masks ready to distribute! Email Lisa at l.kokanie@gmail.com you would like a mask or to support making more.
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Northern Ontario #PPEforHCP – Thunder Bay Efforts Expand
Northern Ontario #PPEforHCP is a group of over 130 allied healthcare and engineering students, alongside various community partners, who are from the north, for the north against COVID-19. Our primary purpose is to ensure appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) distribution and accessibility across Northern Ontario through various initiatives, including 3D printing and redistribution of donated PPE. Operating across Northern Ontario from Muskoka to Kenora, we have already raised over $2,000 and have relocated more than 20,000 items such as surgical masks, disposable gloves, N95 masks and more!
The group, and our multiple community partners, are excited to announce the launch of two new initiatives in Thunder Bay to increase assistance to the frontline healthcare providers that are at the forefront of this pandemic.
#MakeTheList: This new campaign supported by the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre aims to challenge local businesses to donate their existing PPE, from face shields, eye protection, disposable gloves, respirator masks and more, to support our local healthcare facilities. Every company who donates will #MakeTheList and be featured on the campaign’s website and receive coverage through social media. Several companies – such as LTL Construction, TBT Engineering, Ontario Clean Water Agency, Derek Blunt Contracting, Canadian Tire, Thunder Bay Hydro, and Hamm Home Renovations – have already donated and will be featured over the coming days. This initiative would not be possible without Vince Mirabelli (Broker, RE/MAX First Choice Realty), Dr. David Savage (TBRHSC Emergency Department Physician) and Jacqueline Savage.
3D Printed Face Shields and Ear Savers: We are excited to announce the official launch of our 3D printed production of face shields and ear savers for frontline healthcare workers. We have teamed up with multiple producers in Thunder Bay, including the Thunder Bay COVID-19 Community Resources Group, Michael Polling, Lakehead University Engineering, Patterson Library, and Ingenuity Makerspaces, as well as the Lakehead University Center for the Application of Resource Information Systems (LU-CARIS). With the generous voluntary assistance of Intercity Industrial we have a safe drop-off location where our product is quality controlled, inventoried, and distribution to our frontline healthcare workers.
We had the privilege of delivering 284 face shields to five local clinics in need over the last week. We are hoping to achieve a total weekly production capacity of 5000 face shields, but are currently operating at 10%, as cost becomes a limiting factor for our producers. Shields cost $2 to produce and are provided to locally registered healthcare facilities free of cost. As such, we are looking for community assistance to raise funds to be able to continue offering this product free of charge. Monetary donations are being accepted through our GoFundMe page (see below), while donations of transparent acetate sheets can be done at the designated bin at Lowerys. We are hoping to expand across Northern Ontario in the coming weeks.
Contact: For interview requests, questions or concerns please contact Josée Malette, Northern Ontario #PPEforHCP Communications Officer, at northernontarioppeforhcp@gmail.com.
NOSM Family Doctor, Business Owner and Designer Fight COVID-19
Apparel 4 a Cause, began when Peter Rocca decided to take the knowledge he acquired as a sports clothing owner and bring his skill-set to the ring in the fight against COVID-19. When physician, Dr. Robert J. Pastre (NOSM Charter Class Alumnus) came upon Mr. Rocca’s Fight Against COVID shirt, he immediately fell in love with the concept and thus Apparel 4 aCause was born. The two started sharing ideas and aspirations regarding a T-shirt campaign to bring attention to the current pandemic and contacted a local designer, Daniella Flores to join the team.
The company’s campaign is built on social accountability and community awareness both locally and around the globe. The campaign is focused on the current pandemic, with proceeds of shirtsales being donated to local health care and essential service workers and the United Nations Solidarity COVID Response Fund. Dr. Pastre explained that although some of the branding may seem somewhat “edgy” and humorous, they believe this is the most effective vehicle to bring attention to specific health care needs and target specific age groups. Dr. Pastre stated that the goal of the campaign is to empower and motivate people to take action and realize they truly can make a difference in their community and abroad. Proceeds will be used to help buy PPE for adults and children. As Dr. Pastre explained, there are not many “fun” options for child masks and they hope to change this!
Dr. Pastre went on to explain that since Sudbury has a large Italian community, and both he and Mr. Rocca are of Italian heritage, they wanted to do something to help the people back home. He went on to state that Italy has endured so much pain and suffering, as they were one of the first countries to see such high rates of disease and we have learned from their misfortune, on how to better prepare for this pandemic. As a result, the shirt campaign has a specific line dedicated to Italian shirts with proceeds going directly to the Italian Red Cross.
The team explained the campaign was put together at a rapid rate and many hours went into website development and shirt design. Dr. Pastre said that this was very hard to accomplish given that most businesses were closed or working with a reduced number of employees due to the pandemic. Needless to say, they are extremely proud of what we have accomplished in two weeks and are excited to have an impactful campaign.
The campaign is also launching a Kids vs COVID colouring contest, where children have a chance to design and win their own custom “anti-COVID” shirt which will be promoted on their website to raise funds. Dr. Pastre noted that “this is something fun for families to do during this time and hopefully serves as a much needed distraction.”
Please visit apparel4acause.com to purchase a t-shirt!
Be a Hero…Buy a Shirt…Help Save a Life!
Submitted by: Dr. Rob Pastre, NOSM Alumnus and Assistant Professor
