Markham Stouffville Review, May 2023

MAY 2023
Leaving a legacy
for a lifetime of care
Arthur Burkholder has lived in
Markham all his life. He was born into a
four-generation family who resided on the
south side of Highway 7, across the road
from the site that would eventually become
Oak Valley Health’s Markham Stouffville
Hospital (MSH).
When Arthur and his late wife, Doreen,
built their home on a vacant property 50
years ago, they never imagined they would
be conveniently located just three minutes
away from their local hospital.
Arthur recounts the many occasions
when MSH has been the cornerstone for
his family. His father was one of the first
patients to have a transurethral resection of
the prostate (TURP) procedure performed
at MSH due to an enlarged prostate. His
family celebrated the birth of their first
grandchild and, both of Arthur’s parents
received palliative care and comfort at the
end of their lives, all at MSH.
“My family was able to be with them
in privacy, and we really appreciated that,”
adds Arthur.
Since the hospital opened its doors in
1990, Doreen had been seen 163 times for
varying reasons and conditions. She was
cared for in the intensive care unit twice
and admitted five times for various lengths
of stay until her final days in 2019.
“We were so appreciative of the care
and the way the staff looked after her and
after us,” says Arthur.
Like his dad, Arthur also required a
TURP procedure in the summer of 2019,
and through that surgery, his urologist, Dr.
Adeel Sheikh, discovered cancerous cells.
Arthur was diagnosed later that same year
with prostate cancer. Thankfully, his health
care team caught the cancer in its early
stages, and today Arthur appears to be cancer
free.
Then, at the beginning of this year,
Arthur had total hip replacement surgery at
MSH with orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Syed
Haider.
Arthur (Art) Burkholder in front of his Markham
home of 50 years.
“I was cared for competently and compassionately
by Dr. Haider and his staff,”
Arthur says. “I walked out of the hospital
the same day and had a good experience.”
It was so good that his recovery and
rehabilitation has been quick and steady. He
used a two-wheeled walker for just one day;
most of the time, Arthur already goes about
his days without much of a hint that he even
had surgery.
Arthur and his family have always understood
that MSH depends on the generous
support of the community to fund hospital
equipment and technology advancements
that the government can’t fund. Their
dedication dates back to the 80s when they
initially supported the fundraising for a new
hospital in Markham. And their generosity
has not stopped there.
“Over the years, we saw how valuable
a service Markham Stouffville Hospital
was, providing to the community, and we
wanted to demonstrate our appreciation.
And we did that by naming Markham
Stouffville Hospital in our wills,” says
Arthur.
May is Leave a Legacy month in
Canada, a time to highlight the impact of
providing a charitable contribution that
ensures a lifetime of care for our growing,
aging, and diverse community. Naming
MSH Foundation in your will is a powerful
act of giving.
To learn more, contact Elaine Bernard
at 905-472-7373 ext. 6619 or ebernard@
mshf.on.ca or visit www.mshf.on.ca.
HEALTH 11 MARKHAM STOUFFVILLE REVIEW
Hydrating the right way
BY SHANA DANIEL R.H.N.
If there was one element ever to be
labelled as the most important and vital to
the sustenance of any living organism, it’s
water.
It seems to me, we continue questioning
the amount which should be consumed.
We might have thrown the idea of eight
glasses per day by the wayside since many
lifestyles differ in energy output.
People with various health challenges
needing pharma support and differences in
body mass are examples of why being more
precise with intake is so important.
I like to approximate an individual’s
daily water requirement as 1/2 an ounce of
water per pound of body weight. To some,
the eight-glasses rule is perfectly suited —
and to others — that could just be half of
their body’s requirement.
For so many reasons which would
stretch beyond this page, water is crucial
for cellular repair and function, effective fat
loss when following a sound nutrition plan
and fitness routine, better sleep, enhanced
energy, temperature regulation and hormonal
support. Water is crucial.
And what better way to get a head start
on your hydration requirements than to
drink 1-2 full glasses of it upon waking.
Here are just a few benefits of water
consumption on an empty stomach before
breakfast. It rehydrates the body, boosts
your metabolism, helps flush toxins, improves
digestion, and improves skin health.
Peppermint, chamomile and Rooibos
teas are all great go-tos. Some like to add
fresh herbs like rosemary or basil to their
water, or fresh citrus or cucumber. Whatever
you choose, make sure you’re not letting
these live foods stay in your water container
for prolonged periods of time, as proliferating
bacteria can be harmful to the stomach
and create unwanted issues.
Take advantage of the milder weather
as spring has now sprung. Making your hydration
a priority has many benefits you’ll
easily see and feel for your best summer
yet!
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