The giving campaign is now ongoing. Additionally, individuals can nominate their local hospital to receive mattresses by sending an email through Endy’s website.
In 2020, Endy donated mattresses to seven hospitals across Canada, BC Women’s Hospital in Vancouver; Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto; St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton in Hamilton, Ont.; Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont.; IWK Health Centre in Halifax, NS; and Abbotsford Regional Hospital in Abbotsford, BC.
Last week, Endy donated mattresses to six additional hospitals across Canada: University Health Network (Toronto Western Hospital and Toronto General Hospital); Scarborough Health Network (Scarborough General Hospital, Birchmount Hospital, and Centenary Hospital) in Toronto; and Hôpital Pierre-Boucher in Longueuil, QC.
According to the press release, the campaign originated last April after a Vancouver doctor from St. Paul’s Hospital reached out to Endy at the start of the pandemic because his co-workers had nowhere to sleep during their downtime on a long shift. Endy provided mattresses for St. Paul’s intensive care unit and critical care unit call rooms.
“We are committed to transforming hospital call rooms across Canada, and supporting the doctors and nurses who are fighting on the frontlines for us,” said Endy chairman and founder Rajen Ruparell in a statement. “When we learned that our frontline workers were sleeping on stretchers at the height of the pandemic, we knew we had to do something. It is our responsibility as a Canadian technology and e-commerce leader to step up when called upon.”
Healthcare workers are under immense pressure working long hours fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, a study out of Quebec showed that the mental health of frontline workers was taking a serious hit. The study showed a 34-36% increase in insomnia, a 45% increase in anxiety, and a 50% increase in depressive symptoms in frontline healthcare workers.
One person who will be especially grateful for Endy’s mattress donation is Dr. Martin Betts, the corporate chief and medical director of critical care with the Scarborough Health Network in Toronto.