I’m Suly Luu, Strategic Sourcing Specialist and part of Team UHN since 2007. Since the onset of Covid 19, I’ve had the privilege of emptying out the blue personal protective equipment (PPE) donation bins you see here in these photos, which were located at both Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospital locations. We set up these bins because of the COVID-19-related crunch on world supply chains of PPE, and the need to protect front-line staff.

Emptying the PPE donation bins reminded me of my trick-or-treating days as a kid back in the 80’s. Why is that, you ask? The experiences have many things in common. For example:

  1. Some donations were large quantities, that being hundreds of masks, and some were small, like a single N95 – all certainly donated with a generous spirit. 
  2. The wide variety of goods shared and donated and not just the chips and chocolate equivalent that are masks and gloves. Someone even donated a high quality walkie-talkie set (shall we say Stranger Things?)
  3. (Clean) Pillowcases were great carriers for the loot, and they would have worked perfectly for the donations as well.

There was also a Cap Fairy who made by hand and donated over a hundred reusable and launderable caps! I’m delighted to say that many non-clinical staff such as the folks at MDRD and Housekeeping will be able to use these lovely hats in lieu of the single use, landfill destined Bouffant caps. Oh and BTW, bouffant caps are also on the endangered PPE supply chain list. Cap Fairy, whoever you are, thank you!

I’ll end this with a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who made a donation and to the quick minds and full hearts who helped with the bins. Special Shout Out to Lisa Vanlint, problem solver extraordinaire and Brendan Argo of Rangeview Fabricating Inc, makers of these fine PPE donation bins.

PPE Donation Bin that was in front of Toronto General Hospital