This summer, I decided to intern with The Ventilator Project: a Boston non-profit healthcare startup determined to help resolve the ventilator crisis. Going into this internship, I had little knowledge of the ventilator crisis and how it was affected by COVID-19. Yet, after my two previous internships were canceled, I was still determined to help the world during this pandemic. I didn’t anticipate that my contribution would be marketing and fundraising for ventilators, but I am ecstatic that I chose to do so. I have learned quite a lot about the crisis, and I would like to tell you all as well more about it/The Ventilator Project as well as release my official results from fundraising. I hope you enjoy it!
Why Is The Ventilator Crisis Important?
The ventilator crisis is imperative as, without a necessary supply of ventilators, the United States will rapidly lose American lives. To summarize, a ventilator’s purpose is to serve as a machine that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air in and out of the lungs. So, ventilators essentially deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe or is breathing irregularly. As we all know, COVID-19 directly attacks the respiratory system, which can result in dangerous symptoms related to breathing. When an individual is in critical condition due to these symptoms, they should go to a hospital. But, at this point, not all hospitals have a sufficient amount of ventilators to support everyone, which explains the strong urge for an increased amount of ventilators in the United States.
At this point, there has been increased production of ventilators, but it is still not enough. The above image clearly shows that the U.S. severely underperforms in providing the needed ventilator inventory. By September, if our supply of ventilators is still under the projected range, then deaths across the nation will continue to occur. This is due to the strong demand for ventilators, as 56% of all COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU will require a ventilator. Simply, we need more ventilators, and The Ventilator Project aims to assist U.S. citizens through the ventilator crisis and coronavirus pandemic.
What Was My Role?
I served as a Communications Ambassador for The Ventilator Project, where I helped fundraise and market for their ventilator named AIRA. At the time, their goal was to collect $120,000 in donations, and when I joined, they reached about $75,000; it is currently at $109,000. I completed most of my work through social media on my platforms, including Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, as well as occasionally being featured on the TVP pages.
Due to COVID-19, the internship was remote, but I was still able to work about 10-12 hours a week by creating and posting content based on the weekly goals and activities assigned by my supervisors. I also attended two weekly Zoom meetings, one of which had a special guest that specialized in a certain topic such as Google Analytics or marketing techniques. The other meeting consisted of all the other interns/team leaders of the program, as I led a team of three people. Overall, through all this, I was able to utilize my digital content creation and leadership skills in preparation for this upcoming school year, and I am very happy about the work I have produced.
How Much Did I Fundraise
In total, I raised $2,192 for The Ventilator Project in the six weeks that I actively asked for and received donations. To break this down, I raised about $365 for TVP each week through direct donations, Venmo requests, and support through the company and personal fundraisers. Most of my received donations came through my team-led fundraiser named TVP Custom Masks, where we sold customizable masks based on someone’s school or preferred colors. All the funds went directly towards AIRA’s production and distribution; we received orders from 48 people and sold 100 masks. In total, we raised $1,250 (before expenses) in only two and a half weeks, which was the most money made out of all other group fundraisers this summer through TVP. I also discovered that, out of all the other ambassadors, I ranked at the top for fundraising the most money for TVP this summer; I am super proud of my sizable impact!
Where is TVP Now?
Currently, The Ventilator Project recently sent their EUA application to the FDA, so they are expecting a response within the next two weeks. After gaining approval from the FDA, they will begin to produce more prototypes of AIRA and distribute them to hospitals in Massachusetts and possibly beyond. But, the company has shown that they have an effective, scalable, and affordable ventilator that can be produced relatively quickly. Because of this, I have a lot of hope and optimism for where TVP can go in the future. Based on the information I’ve received, The Ventilator Project could make its greatest impact around October, as by then, they hopefully will have all the green lights to mass-produce and distribute AIRA across the nation.
The Ventilator Project is still currently in need of funds for AIRA, despite all of my contributions. They are about a few thousand dollars off from achieving their fundraising goal of $120,000, so if you are interested in donating and helping the cause, visit https://bit.ly/KBDonateToTVP and contribute in any way that you can. I am deciding whether to continue my work with The Ventilator Project in the fall, but, either way, the company could have a significant impact on saving thousands of lives by providing effective ventilators to its needed patients affected by COVID-19.
Kyle Banker 