Pandemic Perspectives: Mark Inglis

Mark Inglis is the Marketing and Communications Officer for the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation (CBRH). CBRH Foundation is a registered charity and its primary goal is to connect donors near and far to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital while also fostering meaningful and lasting relationships that support the work of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation’s fundraising efforts. They are responsible for raising funds to strengthen the health of Cape Bretoners across the island.

This is his COVID-19 story…

When reflecting on what the last few months has brought in terms of changes, one of the biggest things I have noticed in myself is fully appreciating how meaningful face-to-face exchanges are to relationship building. In my industry, social meetings are very valuable, so the lack of normal interactions has been very challenging to me.

I have some of my most productive meetings at a restaurant or coffee shop. I find people are more at ease when they are social than when it’s in an office or over a phone. So, although we have adapted and have learned how to communicate virtually, the sheer importance of personal connections has yet to be fully replaced. 

This experience has really offered me a chance to see where my strengths are and what I can do to improve other skill sets moving forward. What has been most helpful has been learning what we can do when faced with a seemingly insurmountable issue. And how we have learned and adapted to these circumstances.

 Moving forward I hope we can continue to be open to adapting and learning in ways which helps everyone in our community survive these truly unprecedented times. 

After the first wave, I’ve seen that those in our community who already have social systems in place are able to survive. Many have adapted and were able to get through without much overall challenge. However, those who do not have the safety nets in place must have faced incredible challenges. Many would not have had access to basics, and most likely fell through the cracks. 

We need to make sure everyone has access to the supports they need to stay connected and safe.

The more we can prepare for the worst, the better we can serve those in need when the second wave inevitably happens. 

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Update – 2022: Mark Inglis is now an Alumni Relations Officer with Cape Breton University.