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“I have a little group of friends who have been my glue through this pandemic. I’ve been able to turn to them and they’ve kept me together,” Hughes explained. “Now everyone has a support system like that.”
Cait Desmarais, a friend of Hughes who helps moderate the forum, said the group has given her a boost as she quarantines in a hotel, away from family.
“It was getting really depressing over the Christmas break,” said Desmarais, 30, who works on the dietary team at a long-term care home.
“Now, when I wake up the morning, I’m excited to look at the group and see the posts from health-care workers — people who are out in the field every single day.”
“To see doctors, paramedics, high-ranking nurses, all these people going through this thing and supporting each other — it’s humbling. It’s overwhelming.”
But social media can have its pitfalls. Hughes said she’s very aware of the potential for toxicity on Facebook. That’s why she has recruited several like-minded moderators to keep the group free from trolls, drama, and ugly arguments.
Any negativity or controversy will be swiftly removed and blocked, Hughes said. A public message asks all users to keep the group “as wholesome as possible.”
“We’re going to trust people to respect us,” Hughes said. “Respect that this is our space, as health-care workers. This is the space that we need right now for some positivity.”
Although the group is very new, Hughes said it will continue “as long as we need it.”
“Everyone is tired. Everyone is needing a push,” Hughes said. “I’m looking at other ideas about putting information in the group for health-care workers who are feeling like they’re breaking and need more help.”
dchen@postmedia.com
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