Endy donates mattresses to St. Paul’s Hospital staff fighting COVID-19

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Doctors and nurses at St. Paul’s Hospital have new mattresses and pillows to help them get through long shifts during the pandemic.

The donation of supplies came after Dr. Shannon Lockhart reached out to Endy, a Canadian mattress company, explaining her team was preparing to spend nights at the Vancouver hospital with only a couple of old and uncomfortable mattresses.

The company responded with a donation of mattresses, protectors, and pillows on Wednesday for the doctors and nurses in the intensive and critical care units.

Staff at St. Paul's Hospital have new mattresses/pillows to get them through long shifts during #COVID19. It comes after a doctor reached out to @Endy, saying her team was preparing to spend nights at the hospital with only a couple of old, uncomfortable mattresses. pic.twitter.com/OlFIOLWVJJ

— Sonia Aslam (@SoniaSAslam) April 2, 2020

Lockhart, a consultant anesthesiologist, said her team in the ICU was restructuring to prepare for the coming onslaught of COVID-19, and as a result, members would need to spend nights in the hospital.

“At the time, only a couple of old, uncomfortable mattresses were available in call rooms. Otherwise, medical staff were forced to sleep on plastic hospital stretchers, sometimes in hallways,” Lockhart says in a release.

She’s grateful for the donation.

“If I’ve learned one thing through COVID-19, it’s the big difference in morale and functioning that a gesture can make. At St. Paul’s Hospital, it has been inspiring to see how our multi-disciplinary teams have come together to battle COVID-19,” Lockhart said.

“We initially asked for a few mattresses and Endy gave us enough to distribute amongst various teams in the hospital. It’s gestures like Endy’s that make us feel supported and cared for by our community.”

Rajen Ruparell, Endy co-founder, says the donation is a reflection of the company’s appreciation for healthcare workers across Canada.

“Imagine being away from your loved ones, fighting a virus that has been sweeping the globe, working countless hours, day and night, to care for those in need. This is the experience of front-line healthcare workers coast-to-coast and around the world,” Ruparell said.

“It has been inspiring to see our country come together during these uncertain times, helping in any way they can.”