“NYGH puts its heart in everything it does.”

In his role as a paramedic, William Brunhayne spends a lot of time in hospitals. That’s why it came as a bit of a surprise when one day, while on shift, he needed emergency care too.

At the time, William was working for Toronto Paramedic Services. He had come to North York General Hospital (NYGH) to transfer a patient, but within minutes, he became a patient himself. A few days earlier, William had noticed a weird bump on the lower right side of his abdomen. It was hot to the touch but wasn’t causing any other concerns.

A mysterious bump had become larger.

That changed on that April day in 2021. As he wrapped up the transfer of his patient, William saw that the bump had grown larger. He spoke to a nurse, who without hesitation, moved him to an exam room. Dr. Adrian Wu came in quickly and ordered an ultrasound right away.

In a blur, William went for his ultrasound and was then unexpectedly told the next step was a biopsy. Though taken aback, William was comforted by the speed with which everything was moving. He felt as though Dr. Wu and his team genuinely cared about him and wanted to get to the bottom of the problem.

The biopsy confirmed what Dr. Wu has suspected; William had an inflamed pocket of tissue, or a cyst, that had caused the bump. When examined, the cyst was found to be benign. He was referred to a colleague of Dr. Wu’s for the removal and put on pain medication. A few weeks later, the cyst was removed, and William’s scar eventually healed.

NYGH is head & shoulders above the rest.

Now as a paramedic for York Region, William looks back at that whirlwind of a day with fondness. He says that although he’s been to every hospital in Toronto through his work, NYGH stands head and shoulders above the rest. Dr. Wu and the staff worked tirelessly to make him feel comfortable, listened to and cared for.

William’s experience at NYGH has convinced him of one thing – that if any of his friends or family need quality health care, he will advise them to go to NYGH. He is now a strong supporter of the hospital and staff who’ve shown how much heart they put into everything they do.