Bright Heart Health Typhoon Rai Staff Relief Fund

On Thursday, December 16th, 2021, Super Typhoon Rai (Odette) made landfall in southeastern Philippines with winds up to 160 mph. Heavy rainfall and strong winds caused much of Visayas and Mindanao islands to lose power, with several provinces losing telecommunication services as well. Both provinces of Bohol and Cebu have declared a state of emergency.

 

One hundred fifty eight of our fellow Bright Heart Health staff members live in the Philippines, and we are relieved to report that all of them have checked-in and are safe. However, 39 staff were directly impacted by the typhoon and have reported loss of power, connectivity issues, lack of clean drinking water, food shortages, and damage to their homes.

 

Despite the destruction caused by Rai, these past few days have bore witness to some of the brightest hearts within our company as they shine in support of our impacted staff, all while continuing to provide their very best support so that Bright Heart Health can continue caring for patients. Some impacted staff have even gone as far as charging their cell phones in their cars and traveling to various locations for any available WiFi signals to continue to do their work. But these are only stopgap measures, and electricity is not expected to be restored for at least two weeks. Many impacted staff have expressed concerns regarding their ability to work and provide for their families in the interim.

 

So we are asking you now to allow your hearts to shine brighter this holiday season as we organize a relief fund to support our colleagues and friends in the Philippines. Enable them to celebrate the holidays with their families without fear of lost wages, and provide them with some means to rebuild their homes or seek temporary shelter. We’re asking you to match our impacted staff dedication to the boldest outcomes by giving what you can to those who help make Bright Heart Health possible. All funds raised will be distributed to the impacted Bright Heart Health staff who requested financial assistance.

 

Typhoon RAI Path

 

Impacted Staff Locations