Cynic’s Paul Masvidal Reveals His Role in Helping COVID-19 Patients
Cynic mastermind Paul Masvidal has revealed his behind-the-scenes role in helping COVID-19 patients.
A company he helped launch, Vidatak (a combination of “Vida” from Masvidal and “tak” from Lance Patak, his partner at the time), invented a device over 20 years ago called the “EZ Board” to help intubated patients who are too weak to speak or write communicate with hospital staff. That device is now in large demand as a result of the thousands of COVID-19 patients on ventilators currently using them.
Though Masvidal is no longer involved with Vidatak, he is asking for fans to help out the company through a GoFundMe campaign. Supplies for the EZ Board are currently dwindling as the demand has skyrocketed, and the company is asking for assistance in making more.
In a post to Instagram, Masvidal detailed the current shortage of EZ Boards and the urgent need for more of them during the coronavirus pandemic:
“Hello friends,
“As some of you may know, I’ve worked as a volunteer with the terminally ill for a long time. I rarely talk about this aspect of my life, since it’s always felt like something I should keep quiet. Well, I’ve had a change of heart now due to the situation we’re all in.
“A couple decades ago, myself and a partner invented a communication device called the ‘EZ Board’ to help intubated patients communicate with hospital staff. We are in a global crisis now during which hundreds of patients are being intubated daily.
“Intubated COVID-19 patients are too weak to write legibly and cannot speak, which leaves them scared, anxious, and often in a state of delirium which can lead to complications and prolonged hospital stays.
“Vidatak, a company I started but am no longer involved with, produces and distributes the EZ Board, and is providing them to hospitals around the world free of charge. However, supplies and funding for shipping are dwindling fast.
“Please help if you can by contributing to the Go Fund Me (link at Vidatak highlight) so they can ramp up production and distribution. I know from years of first hand experience, that the EZ Board makes a difference and helps patients fighting for their lives and the healthcare workers fighting to save them. .
“Thanks for your support and please share.
“Check out Vidatak.com for more info. My next post will provide some background on the origins of this device
Masvidal followed that up with a second post detailing the history of the device, using Instagram’s gallery feature to display a series of illustrated storyboards. You can view both posts below.
