My name is Margaret McKinnon, and I’m here on behalf of Healthcare Salute to tell you that you are not alone.
I know often it feels that way, but I want healthcare workers to know that your service and your sacrifice is seen, it is deeply appreciated, and we want to be here to care for and support you, and to create a better workplace, a better environment, where you can be heard.
You are not alone.
— A message from Dr. Margaret McKinnon, principal investigator of Healthcare Salute
My name is Andrea and I’ve been working with healthcare providers over the last few years to conduct research and to provide therapy.
During this time I’ve heard a lot of stories about what it’s like to work in the healthcare industry during the pandemic and even now. Many of these stories have been heartbreaking.
I just want to say that I hear how hard you’re working and the challenges that you face, and I just want you to know how grateful I am for everything that you’ve done.
You are seen and you’re not alone.
— A message from Andrea Brown, PhD, research associate with the Trauma & Recovery Research Unit at McMaster University, registered psychotherapist (qualifying)
Hi, my name is Margaret McKinnon.
And I really want to give a special shout out today to the respiratory therapists of Canada.
We’ve worked together for several years now to really understand your service and to know that you are often the person holding someone’s hand when they pass away, being left with family members, and really being there in the aftermath of accidents like the Humboldt Broncos crash.
We know that your service over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic was tremendously difficult. And we just want you to know that you’re seen, that you are heard, that we care about you deeply, and we want to be here to support and care for you going forward.
— A message from Dr. Margaret McKinnon, principal investigator of Healthcare Salute
I’m Sangita.
I’m an occupational therapist and I want to thank all my healthcare provider friends who, through the pandemic, at great cost to their own health and their mental health, took care of all of our friends and our families.
Thank you for your service.
I just want to say you are not alone. We are with you. We hear you. We believe you.
Google “Healthcare Salute” for wellness supports, resources, and tools, and “#YouAreNotAlone” for more messages like mine of support, thanks, and hope.
Thank you.
— A message from Sangita Singh, occupational therapist and knowledge translation specialist with the Trauma & Recovery Research Unit at McMaster University
Hi, my name is Cristina and I’m a research coordinator in the lab.
I want to say a big thank you to all the healthcare providers who worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to take care of us all, even at the expense of their own mental and physical well-being.
You are not alone in this. We see you in all of your hard work and we thank you for your service.
Google “Healthcare Salute” for wellness supports and resources and hear other people’s stories, and use the hashtag “#YouAreNotAlone” for more messages of support like this one.
— A message from Cristina Stef, clinical research coordinator with the Trauma & Recovery Research Unit at McMaster University
Hello, my name is Margaret McKinnon, and what I’m here today to say is thank you to all Canadian healthcare workers.
And really — in particular, a shout out to our LGBTQ, BIPOC, and individuals of equity-deserving groups — to say thank you for your service during the pandemic and into its aftermath.
We want you to know that you are not alone, that your service is seen. That you are deeply cared for and we cannot thank you enough.
We know the sacrifices that you have made. We know the sacrifices that your family made.
And we want to be here to support and help you going forward.
— A message from Dr. Margaret McKinnon, principal investigator of Healthcare Salute
Hello, my name is Brandon. I’m a researcher focusing on healthcare workers and data during the pandemic.
And while everyone struggled and we all went through so much during the pandemic, and it has continued to affect us, it has affected healthcare workers in so many other significant and unique ways.
You all suffered so much mentally, physically, and emotionally, and you did so for us and you did so for our loved ones and our family members and our friends.
And thank you for your service.
But also, you are not alone. We see you, we believe you, we stand with you, and we know how much you suffered.
For wellness resources, please google “Healthcare Salute” for more tools and things of that nature. And if you want to see more videos like this, please use the hashtag “#YouAreNotAlone.”
— A message from Brandon Florek, clinical research coordinator with the Trauma & Recovery Research Unit at McMaster University