A short film focusing on the innovative and unconventional ways healthcare teams are tackling the growing pandemic of wounds impacting Canada’s vulnerable and unhoused populations.
In Canada,
4,000+
people are estimated to be homeless every night
1%
stay in emergency shelters
1%
in transitional housing
1%
in outdoor locations
1%
in encampments
4,000+
individuals use an emergency shelter over the course of a single year.
Indigenous Peoples make up roughly
0%
of the shelter population, but represent 5% of Canada's total population.
WOUNDS UNHOUSED
About The Film
Wounds Unhoused is a collaborative film project which shines a light on the growing crisis of wounds among unhoused and vulnerable communities – told through the voices of the healthcare teams who care for them.
Filmed in 2026, Wounds Unhoused seeks to raise awareness of the prevalence and severity of wounds among people living on the streets, the dangers of leaving wounds untreated in austere conditions, and the innovative approaches healthcare workers are embracing to bring care to those who need it most.
Wounds Unhoused is proudly presented by NanoTess, the Calgary Drop-In Centre, Emergency Health Services (EHS), Radius Healthcare, and Radicare Ventures.
THE STORY IN THREE ACTS
ACT 1
Understanding Wounds
Often hidden beneath layers of clothing and years of mistrust in healthcare, wounds among unhoused populations can be varied and serious. They range from traumatic injuries sustained while surviving on the streets to chronic ulcers related to untreated conditions such as diabetes, as well as frostbite injuries that occur during the harsh winter months.
ACT 2
The Cost of Delayed Care
Untreated, wounds can escalate quickly to localized infections, amputations, and sepsis, requiring hospitalization or resulting in death. The cost of delayed wound care is measured not only in dollars, but in pain, dignity, opportunity, and human potential.
ACT 3
Making Healing Accessible
Community and shelter-based care is proven to build trust between healthcare workers and vulnerable patients. Street medics bring care to where it’s needed the most. Innovation bridges the trust gap that exists between patients and healthcare systems.
WOUNDS UNHOUSED
A Collaboration of Innovation and Compassion
Filmed and Directed by Riggs Vergara
For screening opportunities, please contact sharon.c@nanotess.com
Heal One Heal Another
Compassionate care and community action are at the heart of everything we do at NanoTess.
Resources for those impacted by homelessness
If you, or someone you know, is experiencing homelessness or struggling to access housing, you can connect to services near you by calling 211.