Four years ago I was feeling awful but optimistic that 2020 was going to be a good year. Diagnosis, chemo, surgery and radiation is always going to be an awful experience and I was through the worst of it.

The confusion, fear and isolation of the early days of the pandemic were tough. I was still receiving infusions at the hospital and it wasn’t easy on any of us patients.

But I found purpose. I met kind and generous people who believed that if we could understand the mode of transmission we could implement evidence-based precautions and ease the suffering of covid.

I made a mask map. People told me it helped them. It got a lot of attention and even got a mention in the New York Times and an article in Canadian Geographic.

I joined others in writing letters and sharing good information. People told us that helped too. I read so many academic papers and translated information I learned for friends, family and the people on Twitter.

I took my CO2 monitor everywhere I went. I learned that some HVAC systems are well maintained and others are not. I had an idea that everyone should have access to these devices at their public libraries.

We founded CAVI - Community Access to Ventilation Information and I learned the value of infrastructure in supporting volunteer efforts. That completing the work to obtain non-profit status is useful and worthwhile and it increases the impact of the work.

And now I’m proud to be part of another new volunteer project. With 𝙹𝚘𝚎 𝚅𝚒𝚙𝚘𝚗𝚍 [email protected], Kashif Pirzada, MD, Nancy Delagrave and Chris Houston we are building a space to advocate for better because I really believe in the power of people who know things could & should be better.

Join us, we would love your support. ❤️ Canadian Covid Society/Société canad. de la covid covidsociety.ca