As businesses and organizations across the globe closed their doors our Headwaters Heroes fought night and day to find solutions to keep our doors open and move mountains for our community.
Driving into work down empty highways for days, weeks and months without a break, our team stayed the course because we knew had to. There were people reliant on our care, who simply would not survive if our doors closed, people like Liz.
Liz has received dialysis treatment at our hospital three-times a week since 2017. As a resident of Melancton she feels lucky to able to get care close to home surrounded by familiar faces.
Prior to getting diagnosed with Kidney Disease, Liz worked as part of the Environmental Services Team at Headwaters. Liz was able to live for a longtime with her kidney’s compromised but eventually they began to fail. She required more vigorous treatment which resulted in her becoming part of our Dialysis Family.
“At first it was awkward to be honest. When I would come in for treatment I didn’t want anyone to see me as only a few people knew about my condition at the time. That didn’t last long though. Now when I come in, I see people I used to work with and it is nice to be able to catch up,” said Liz.
One of those familiar faces is Laura, Environmental Services Manager.
“Liz is amazing. Seeing her in the hallway, masked or otherwise is like seeing an old friend. Our hearts break to see her suffer as she has. Liz always maintains a positive outlook no matter what comes her way. I look forward to the day we can welcome her back to our team,” said Laura.
Our Environmental Services Team was placed in challenging circumstances this past year; from enhanced cleaning measures to servicing COVID-19 positive patient rooms. We are grateful for the personal and professional sacrifices they have made to keep our community safe.
There was never a concern in Liz’s mind that she would not be safe and get the care she needed.
“I just kept coming in. The protocols changed. People were washing their hands more often and wearing masks, but the doors never closed. I never felt like I was at risk of getting sick here,” said Liz.
Teams from across the hospital were redeployed to ensure that care continued for our most vulnerable patients. Our Headwaters Heroes ensured that everything was seamless for our patients, never giving cause for concern; even during often difficult and exhausting circumstances.
Liz is currently starting her kidney transplant workup through Toronto General Hospital, she has a donor that is a good friend and is awaiting results to confirm she is a match before proceeding with the transplant.
“I consider myself very lucky to be able to come here for care,” said Liz.