Maurie Sherman (a.k.a. Damnit Maurie), the lively personality from The Roz and Mocha Show on KISS 92.5, never imagined that a routine day at work would turn into a life-altering experience. While filming a video for social media, Maurie broke his humerus bone after crashing on his elbow and shoulder during a chest bump gone wrong.
In excruciating pain, Maurie was rushed to Toronto General Hospital’s emergency department. It was a whirlwind, but the team attending to him made all the difference. “They were fun, they made me comfortable,” Maurie recalls. “Their calmness turned what could have been a terrifying experience into something bearable.”
A few days after his emergency room visit, Maurie found himself at Toronto Western Hospital, inside the Schroeder Arthritis Institute’s fracture clinic. Here, he met Dr. Christian Veillette, Head of Orthopedic Surgery within UHN’s Sprott Department of Surgery, along Stacyann (Stacy) Baker, Orthopedic Technician, whose care and kindness left an indelible mark on him. “Stacy is amazing,” Maurie says, his voice filled with gratitude. He even posted about her on Instagram, where many others shared their own positive experiences with her.
Dr. Veillette, an expert in orthopedics and fracture care, decided against rushing into surgery. Instead, he devised a careful plan that allowed Maurie’s bone to heal naturally. This required regular check-ups and a lot of patience, but the bond Maurie formed with his caregivers made the process much more tolerable. “Seeing Dr. Veillette and his team, and joking with Stacy with her calm demeanour – it made everything more comfortable,” Maurie shares.
“There are so many people in that clinic, but when it’s your turn, they make the time for you. They bring the human back to medicine.”
Maurie’s experience at UHN was not just about medical treatment – it was about becoming part of a community. The staff made him feel like a valued member of a care team, not just a patient. “I made so many new friends,” Maurie says with a smile. “I felt like I was part of something, not just someone being cared for. Like, we became ‘University Health besties.’”
Eventually, Maurie started physiotherapy and was lucky to be paired with Laura Panta at Altum Health at Toronto Western Hospital. The two hit it off right away. “Laura made the challenge of physio enjoyable,” Maury says. “Regaining movement in my left arm was not going to be an easy road, but Laura and her wonderful personality made the twice-a-week visits something I looked forward to, and bearable.”
Through his journey, Maurie learned the profound impact of compassionate, high-quality medical care. “I experienced firsthand how the incredible staff at Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals turned a traumatic event into a journey of healing and connection,” Maurie explains. “Their expertise, dedication, and genuine kindness not only mended my broken bone but also lifted my spirits and gave me strength.”
Maurie’s experience highlighted for him the incredible work and effort that goes into building and maintaining UHN’s world-class care teams. He knows that without the communities that support UHN, people like Stacy, Laura and Dr. Veillette might not be here. He is grateful for the donor community that enables teams, like the one that helped him heal, to thrive.
“I have a better understanding now about why donating is important,” he says. “Investing in health care is investing in our community, and in something we’ll all need at some point.”
No one ever changed the world on their own but when the bright minds at UHN work together with donors we can redefine the world of health care together.