A message from Mary Anne Lynch

To say the past year has been a difficult one for health care workers would be an understatement. There is not one area of our organization that has not been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and staff of all disciplines have continued to provide extraordinary care to patients, clients and residents across our sites, amidst a great deal of uncertainty, as well as increasing demands on their time and energy.

This week marks Allied Health Professionals Recognition Week in Manitoba. Providing extraordinary care, especially during a pandemic, is a team effort, and allied health professionals are key members of that team. Your skills were critical in supporting patients with COVID-19, and you have been on the front line of treating what we have seen can be a devastating illness. You have also treated patients and clients at our sites who were scared, and sometimes alone, continuing to provide essential care and guiding people through their healthcare journeys with tremendous compassion.

This unprecedented time has brought with it isolation, stress and anxiety, and allied health professionals have been there for our community, supporting their mental and physical well-being and protecting their overall health throughout the pandemic.

Your work has been tireless, but I want you to know that it is greatly appreciated, by me and by your colleagues across the WRHA. While there is still more work to be done, we are getting closer and closer to the end of this crisis every day, and you are a crucial to that effort.

Thank you for all that you have done this past year, and all you continue to do for our patients, clients and residents.

Sincerely,

Mary Anne Lynch