‘See You ICU:’ Albertans Express Thanksgiving for Healthcare Workers on Thanksgiving Day

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EDMONTON – Hundreds of Albertans are sending Thanksgiving coffee, gift cards and meals to those working in intensive care units overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients.

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J’Val Shuster says she and her staff at Devour Catering will deliver turkey dinners to 200 nurses, doctors and healthcare staff at four Calgary hospitals on Sunday with more meals delivered in the coming days. People have been paying $ 15 for food through the company’s “See you in ICU” campaign.

“We have had more than 1,700 people purchase a total of 6,000 meals for doctors, nurses and staff,” Shuster said.

“The nurses (have said) that even if they don’t get the meals, they are very encouraged by the fact that people are showing their support and wanting to do something.”

Shuster said he started the idea last month while struggling to keep his business afloat. The support has been so overwhelming, he said, that he has had to temporarily stop taking food orders.

“We are going to coordinate with all departments how often they want the remaining meals ordered. We cannot prepare 6,000 meals at once. “

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Betty Wade from Calgary bought 50 dinners for health care staff.

“I am absolutely grateful for them, particularly now in this fourth wave,” said the retiree.

“They will have something on the door when they leave their shift that will make them realize that many people appreciate them more than they think. We are very, very grateful for each of them doing their job saving lives to the best of their ability in this situation. “

He recalled that at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many cheered and applauded the workers in the streets.

“But now there is a difference … it is the intensity in the ICU and in the hospitals,” he said.

Alberta has the most active COVID-19 cases of any province with more than 18,000. There are more than 1,000 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, including more than 200 in intensive care units.

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The numbers have dropped slightly in recent days, but Prime Minister Jason Kenney said Albertans still need to be careful during the long weekend.

He noted that family reunions last Thanksgiving led to a wave of COVID-19 cases two weeks later.

Edmonton’s Chad Ohman, who works for Alberta Health Services, said he will give out gift cards to doctors in various communities. He recently started his own appreciation campaign.

“I thought if I could raise a little money for a coffee for the ICUs, it would be great. And I set a goal of $ 600 and put it in line. In the end, I had $ 1,200, ”he said.

Ohman said he has already distributed a few gift cards, but is particularly excited to do so on Thanksgiving.

“That they have to happen – what happens now? – 20 months of this pandemic, which in my opinion was completely preventable, which definitely carries a lot of weight, ”he said.

“Right now, our healthcare workers need us because no one signed up for this. Other than a funeral home, I can’t think of anyone else who is seeing death so much and that comes at a huge price.

“I’m really grateful”.