A Grateful Patient Story: From Crisis to Comfort at Stevenson Memorial Hospital
It was a Saturday morning in Alliston, and I had just returned home from a business trip. My homecoming would soon take an unexpected turn. What started as discomfort on Saturday had escalated by Sunday, around 4 a.m., I found myself heading to the Emergency Department at Stevenson Memorial Hospital. Originally a Toronto native having recently settled in Alliston, my husband and I were facing the daunting task of navigating healthcare in our new community.
The thought of rushing to urgent care in Etobicoke, over an hour away, crossed my mind, but fate had other plans. Choosing Stevenson was the best decision we could have made.
Growing up in Toronto with a mother who worked in healthcare, I was initially apprehensive about what a smaller hospital could offer. However, my concerns dissipated upon arrival. Despite the stress and pain clouding most of the day, I can confidently recall the efficiency and compassion of the Stevenson team that attended to my needs.
Admitted shortly after 4 a.m., I underwent an x-ray and CT scan, and in less than 12 hours, I was prepped for surgery. By 3 p.m., the diagnosis was clear: appendicitis, compounded by a ruptured appendix. Thanks to the skilled surgeons at Stevenson Memorial Hospital, including Dr. Keshoofy and his team, a laparoscopic procedure averted a potentially fatal outcome.
My four-day stay at Stevenson was marked by unwavering support and care. From the attentive nurse on my first night to the encouraging staff during post-surgery rounds, I felt like more than just a patient. The attention to detail and genuine compassion I experienced are hallmarks of community healthcare facilities like Stevenson.
Reflecting on this unexpected ordeal, I now advise other neighbours and friends in New Tecumseth to never underestimate the value of a community hospital. Proximity to a hospital was at the bottom of our list when we were looking to buy a house in Alliston. In my early thirties, I never anticipated needing Stevenson so soon. Life’s unpredictability, however, brought me to a place that provided world-class care to the community.
My message to my community is clear: everyone, even if you’re new or a younger family, should support our community hospital, even if you don’t think you’re going to use it. Stevenson Memorial Hospital relies on donors to maintain and upgrade equipment, and as with all hospitals in Ontario, they don’t receive sufficient government funding.
The staff and volunteers at Stevenson are there to support families and neighbours every day. To ensure continued efficient and compassionate care for residents, ongoing support from donors is crucial.
As we embrace December, a month dedicated to goodwill towards all, consider extending your support to the Stevenson Memorial Hospital Foundation through their Grateful Patient program. To donate, visit https://bit.ly/GratefulPatientSMHF
Alicia Poirier-Briant, Grateful Patient