Your digest

Blood donations are essential in Ontario woman’s fight against a mystery illness

Wai Yin Mok dedicated a large part of her fascinating career to science. But these days, the retired Toronto school vice-principal is feeling rather under the microscope herself, as doctors struggle to diagnose a condition that has caused her to need blood transfusions every two to three weeks.  At each appointment, Wai Yin receives three units of red blood cells. They are used to treat her critically low levels of hemoglobin — the iron-containing molecule that transports oxygen throughout the body. As doctors seek the cause of her severe anemia, Wai Yin Mok has had more than 150 blood transfusions, which have been essential to her survival and quality of life. Read more at blood.ca/stories.

Reminder: Submit your questions for Wednesday’s townhall

Our first townhall event of 2022 is coming up this Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 1 p.m. ET. You can submit your email or video questions in advance to communications@blood.ca with the subject line “TOWNHALL” or record an audio question by phoning 1-800-509-3329. If you prefer to submit written questions anonymously, use this form (indicate “TOWNHALL” in the subject line). On Jan. 12, click the meeting link in your Outlook invite to join live. If you’re unable to make it, a recording of the event will be available on your COVID-19 employee portal within 24 hours.

New year, new webinars from CCDI

The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) is back with new webinars covering various aspects of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). As a member organization, employees can attend CCDI’s webinars free of charge. To sign up with free access, select “Employer partner” for the question “Please select the type of registration that is most appropriate for you”.

• On Tuesday, Jan. 11, at 1 p.m. ET, participate in an introductory-level webinar covering the basics of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and why this is so important for workplaces across Canada.
• On Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 1 p.m. ET, you can explore the theory of intersectionality in the workplace and apply a practical lens to understand the interlocking systems of dominance as well as gaining strategies on how to create a safe work environment.

Question of the day: How do I find out how long I need to isolate for before returning to work after testing positive for COVID-19?

Everyone must follow the public health guidelines outlined by their own province. We understand that these guidelines are changing regularly and are different in each province. To help you easily find the information that is relevant to you, we are developing a resource that will be available on the employee portal in the coming days. In the meantime, keep checking your province's resources to review the latest guidelines for your area.

About Your Digest: This digest highlights the latest policy and employee support measures, resources to help you manage our new reality and original content to remind us that what we do matters. This information can be found on blood.ca/employees from any device, no login required. Click here to read past editions of your digest. Have questions? Check out blood.ca/employees or email us at communications@blood.ca.