Coronavirus: Wuhan woman donates medical supplies to Calgarians who helped her city

A generous effort to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic is coming full circle in Calgary.

In January, some local volunteers organized shipments of donated medical supplies to health workers in the hard-hit city of Wuhan, China.

With the COVID-19 crisis now hitting Canada, a businesswoman in Wuhan is donating about 15,000 protective masks and gloves, shipping them to the Calgary volunteers who helped her city.

“(When) people help you, you cannot forget this kindness,” Yan Ping Yang said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "(When) people help you, you cannot forget this kindness," Yan Ping Yang said.

“You need to do what you can to return this kindness, and help.”

Local volunteers are now distributing Yang’s shipment to staff at clinics, seniors homes and hospitals in the Calgary area.

“This is a whole world problem right now, so we want to do our best to help more people, more local people,” volunteer organizer Maggy Hu said. “Because China is like our mother (and) here is already our home so we want to do more help for our home.”

While Alberta Health Services said earlier this week it has sufficient supply of procedure masks and N95 respirators for its healthcare workers, doctors on the receiving end of the donations are grateful.

A doctor who received some of the donated masks from Wuhan Friday says they’ll provide much-needed help as he tries to protect patients and staff at his walk-in clinic.

“We really appreciate this because these days we’re actually running out of equipment and we really don’t want to stop seeing patients,” Dr. Adekunle Abegbulu.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We really appreciate this because these days we're actually running out of equipment and we really don't want to stop seeing patients," Dr. Adekunle Abegbulu.

“And this is going to keep us safe.”

Yang says she was moved to help after seeing what a difference the Calgary volunteers’ efforts made as the coronavirus spread rapidly in Wuhan.

“I was greatly moved, because Wuhan people were (in a) very difficult, very difficult situation,” Yang said. “And we did not know whether we (could) survive or not.”

A patient at Dr. Abegbulu’s Oasis Medical Centre was impressed by the co-operation across the continents.

“I think it’s great, people helping other people out,” Ken Ross said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I think it's great, people helping other people out," Ken Ross said. "That's what it's all about."

The Calgary volunteers are hoping to receive another shipment of protective masks and gloves from Wuhan.

Yang says she’s glad to be able to send the shipment, and hopes it will make a difference for the people on the front lines fighting the pandemic in the Calgary area.

“I hope that you will get over it soon.”