Lisa's Story

In early 2015, Lisa Assaf, founder of the Boom app and a former family law lawyer, was facing a life-altering challenge that many Canadians are all too familiar with - organizing care for a loved one. Her father, living alone in his late seventies, was diagnosed with cancer. So began a journey experienced by many; navigating a labyrinth of appointments, bookings, and making choices about services to support an aging or unwell family member.

By the time the journey was completed, sadly with the death of her father, Lisa had a deep appreciation for how difficult this was for Canadians, especially those with jobs, children, and other responsibilities. "I remember the day of my father’s discharge after surgery, being handed a large stack of paper with all kinds of instructions, and realizing it was up to my sister and I to organize a system of care personalized to him. Balancing the demands of family life, employment, and caring for a loved one can be challenging, especially when services are not readily available without playing an extended game of telephone tag! I remember feeling overwhelmed and alone."

This prompted Lisa to create Boom, a comprehensive marketplace to book vetted in-home care needs, at a time when so much of home care would also benefit from modernization.

"Giving back time to people to spend with a loved one is what this is all about", says Lisa.

She wanted to help all those who are experiencing what she experienced, but make their journey easier and more simplified, offering a one-stop digital companion to assist with care needs. During this COVID-19 Pandemic, the need for this support and innovation could not be more apparent.

"It was a blessing to know Lisa's father, and to see the good intent behind her care for him, which we see in so many patients. It's remarkable here that this care has translated into something innovative to help so many, easing the responsibility of preparing to care for someone at home. Boom is a platform that provides what families need and will help hospitals with discharge planning as well. Sunnybrook is proud to have been a part of this effort."