Patient Stories

Susan Blum was a competitive cyclist who pedalled over 10,000 kms a year — until a horrific biking accident nearly killed her.

Scott Bray pauses while discussing “the summer of his heart’s discontent.” “I didn’t want to die; there was still too much to live for,” says Scott while recalling the three separate life-threatening cardiac-related events he had in August 2018.

Eighteen months ago, Dawne Banda’s body was hijacked by a blood clot that established itself in her brain and caused a major stroke. “My life could easily have ended that night,” says Dawne. She was 69 at the time and worked as the coordinator with Adele House, providing apartment accommodations for women seeking safety from abusive relationships.

“Thank you for saving my life. I now know first-hand how important it is to have the most advanced equipment, technology and cardiac specialists at Royal University Hospital. As the past volunteer Chair of the Royal University Hospital Foundation and as a donor I was aware of the innovation and advanced care that donor support provided, but I never expected to be alive today because of the advances in innovation at Royal University Hospital.” Read Bryan’s story and many others whose lives were saved thanks to the cardiac and emergency care received at RUH.

Hello, my name is Terry Schrader. I am alive today thanks to donors like you. And because of your generosity in support of the life-saving care at Royal University Hospital, I have been given a second chance to be with my family and celebrate with them all that life has to offer.

Roger Pelletier and Val Arnault-Pelletier can’t say enough about the great treatment and care they received at Royal University Hospital after Roger had a stroke at home in Dalmeny on November 23.

Paul Janzen, Sr., goaltender for his hockey team, doesn’t remember much about the third period of his game on February 7, 2014, in Radisson. He battled through the final 18 minutes in an increasingly dizzy and nauseous state. 

Chris Pointer was on his way to his mother’s workplace on June 2, 2008 to wish her Happy Birthday. But he didn’t make it. The motorcycle he was riding hit a patch of gravel, the back tire of his bike caught the curb and he was ejected. His body slammed heavily into a street sign.

Heather Thiessen began imagining herself as a nurse when she was still a young girl. She looked forward to a career in which she could help sick and injured people get well and remembers her excitement when, in her early twenties, she was accepted into nursing school.