Today is Dr. Gary’s Birthday!

This morning on the wards we took a small time out to celebrate Dr. Gary’s Birthday. A week ago when I had told the patients that Dr. Gary’s birthday was coming up, they were all so excited. We decided to make cards for him, and it was quite a sight. ALL of the patients were up and out of their beds. For several hours they bent over construction paper, crayons, stickers and markers writing and drawing beautiful things for him. For those who know how to write, there were beautiful messages speaking life upon him. Thanking him, saying he was sent from God, wishing him many more years. For the majority of our patients who have never had the opportunity to have an education they drew him beautiful pictures and attempted to write letters and numbers that they copied off their neighbors page. Today we handed him those cards all bound in a book. In addition to the book, the patients all decided to have the day workers write “joyeux anniversaire” on their bandages and head dressings so that as he did rounds to check on them they all could point at their bandages and smile boldly. We sang him Happy Birthday in English which was followed in French by our patients and dayworkers. They all clapped, cheered, came forward for hugs and hand shakes, thanking him and sharing blessings on him in their native languages. I just couldn’t get over the moment, standing there watching the 16 patients and all their caregivers coming forward to thank the man who has changed their lives, who has given them a second chance, who has given them the opportunity to be treated as a human, given the opportunity to be loved and accepted. Dr. Gary, one of the most amazing men I know, has helped hundreds maybe even thousands of people celebrate many more years of life throughout his 25 years onboard. He has added countless years to many, and for some he has been the person that gave them the opportunity to simply live to their next birthday by removing their tumors. So here’s to one more year and Dr. Gary’s day of birth!