Most people love surprises. I know I do. Especially when they originate from the most unlikely people.
I recently helped out a true gentleman, in the classic sense of the word, with a small injury he sustained. It was not serious, and his prognosis was excellent. A minor office-based surgical procedure was all he needed. During the procedure, we chatted: he about his passion for his life’s work, me about mine. It was small talk between surgeon and patient. It happens every day.
At his last follow up appointment before being discharged back to is full and normal life, he stood at my front desk, pulled out his credit card, and made an exceptionally generous donation to the Cambridge Memorial Hospital Breast Reconstruction Program.
Shocked, I asked him if his wife had breast cancer. No, he said. His Mom? No, he said. A friend or neighbour? Nope. He simply said that after chatting with me in the operating room, he knew the Breast Reconstruction Program was dear to me and to my team, and he just wanted to say thanks for helping him out.
How about that?
Now it’s my turn to say thanks, but not from me, or from my team of reconstructive breast surgeons, and not from the hospital or the hospital foundation. Thanks, my dear sweet man, from all 700 women in the Waterloo Wellington region who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. You just helped every one of them.
All proceeds from this year’s Fashion for Life White Party will be donated to the CMH Breast Reconstruction Program – get your tickets here!
