Staff and Resident Duo Get Crafty for WA’s Doctors and Nurses

A staff and resident duo at a local not-for-profit home are making a difference to the lives of West Australian health staff, including those at Royal Perth and Fiona Stanley Hospital, during the coronavirus crisis.

Lifestyle Assistant at Mercy Place Mandurah, Cy Muir, and resident Joy Coci have teamed up to make laundry bags for the not-for-profit organisation ‘Get Scrubbed’, which enables medical workers to immediately change out of their work uniforms following a shift, and deposit them safely in a drawstring linen bag for laundering.

Ms Muir, who hails from the Philippines, says she was prompted to do her bit to help during the coronavirus crisis when she gained her Australian citizenship a week before physical distancing measures were implemented.

“I have lived in Australia for seven years and the week before restrictions were put into place I’d gained my Australian citizenship and was feeling so grateful,” the Mandurah resident explains.  “So when I saw the call for Australians to make items for health workers, I really wanted to help.

“And because I organise activities for residents at Mercy Place Mandurah, I knew how talented Joy was with her sewing machine. It prompted me to ask her if she would like to help and she immediately said yes. We’ve been making the drawstring laundry bags together over the past couple of weeks, which has been meaningful and enjoyable for both of us.”

Both Cy and Joy have provided fabric for the handmade items, and so far have created over a dozen bags which will be delivered to a local drop-off point in Mandurah and then sent on to health workers in WA.

Mercy Place Mandurah Service Manager, Christina Venables, said Cy and Joy were extremely talented and have shown true dedication and commitment to making the bags.

“Cy and Joy have been wonderfully committed to producing the drawstring bags over recent weeks,” says Ms Venables.  “Everyone here at Mercy Place Mandurah thinks that they are not only incredibly talented, but also extremely special people to want to help in this way.”

More information about making linen bags and scrub hats for nurses and doctors in Perth can be found at the ‘Get Scrubbed’ Facebook page.

Find out more about Mercy Health.