A woman wearing glasses and a teal blouse with a hummingbird brooch smiles in an outdoor courtyard.

Navigating a breast cancer diagnosis with community by her side

When Marguerite Gervan faced breast cancer, she found compassionate care at Oak Valley Health’s Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) — a place she supported long before her diagnosis.

An unexpected discovery

Marguerite Gervan had just retired when she noticed a lump in her breast.

“It was the size of a large grape and felt hard,” Marguerite, age 68, recalls. “It didn’t belong there, and I wanted to get it looked at right away.”

Marguerite immediately turned to MSH — the hospital that’s been there for Marguerite and her family since it first opened in 1990. She called the Gale & Graham Wright Breast Health Centre and got an appointment for a mammogram that very afternoon.

“The lump looked suspicious, and I was told it was highly likely I had cancer,” says Marguerite. “I was scared, really scared.”

Photos by David White

A plan to move forward

Fortunately, the process continued to move quickly. Marguerite had a biopsy, and within a couple of weeks she was sitting in the office of Dr. Crystal Pallister, a general surgeon at the hospital.

Dr. Pallister explained that Marguerite had triple negative breast cancer — an invasive type of breast cancer that grows rapidly and has fewer treatment options. It was a devastating diagnosis, however Dr. Pallister reassured Marguerite that the team at MSH would come up with the best treatment plan.

“I had to put my trust in my team and surrender myself to their care,” Marguerite shares. “That wasn’t hard to do after my first meeting with Dr. Pallister. They knew what they were doing.”

Before Dr. Pallister could operate, Marguerite had a CT scan, bone scan, and electrocardiogram at MSH to determine if the cancer had spread.

“I was relieved things were happening so fast,” Marguerite says. “The waiting is excruciating. It’s hard to relax, to sleep. I’d lay awake at night thinking about the tumour growing inside of me.”

Thankfully, the cancer was localized to the breast and, in just over one month from the day she found the lump, Marguerite had surgery. Dr. Pallister performed a partial mastectomy, removing the tumour and four lymph nodes.

“We knew having a world-class hospital in our own backyard would impact us in a positive way.”

Marguerite Gervan

Feeling heard and supported

The next step was four rounds of chemotherapy under the care of oncologist Dr. Mateya Trinkaus. “After every chemo session, Dr. Trinkaus would ask how I was doing, not just physically but emotionally as well,” Marguerite says. “I felt listened to and valued as a person, not just a patient.”

At Marguerite’s first chemotherapy session, she was surprised to learn how busy the treatment bays are in The Shakir Rehmatullah Cancer Centre. “The chairs were always filled,” she says.

With patient volumes in the Cancer Centre on the rise, nurses play a vital role in supporting patients through every step of their cancer care journey, providing expert care and compassion along the way. “They always have a smile and are so reassuring and responsive to our needs,” Marguerite recalls. “Many times, I’d see a nurse hugging a patient who was crying.”

Marguerite and her family have experienced this kind of exceptional care firsthand on many occasions. Her husband, Dave, was diagnosed and treated for a stroke in 2014. And one of her daughters had an emergency appendectomy at MSH.

“We’ve all experienced great care at our hospital,” says Marguerite.

Giving back to her hospital

Marguerite has always known the importance of both the hospital and of giving back. Before the hospital even opened, she participated in a non-profit association, Markham Block Parents, and helped raise thousands of dollars for the hospital.

“When we were looking for a cause to support, we agreed it had to be the hospital,” Marguerite remembers.

Today, Marguerite and Dave continue to support the hospital financially. Marguerite also plans to leave a gift for MSH in her Will. And she’s very grateful to other donors who share her commitment to leading-edge care close to home.

“With your support, you’re making a difference for yourself, loved ones, and people in your own neighbourhood,” she says. “You’re helping to bring the best health professionals and advanced equipment to our hospital.”

After three years of treatment, Marguerite was declared cancer free in 2024. Today, she’s enjoying her retirement, travelling to places she’s always wanted to see, and spending time with her husband and adult daughters.

“I’m back to living my life to the fullest,” Marguerite says. “I’m making plans for the future.”

For patients like Marguerite, having access to exceptional care close to home can make all the difference. Government funding alone is not enough to cover all the hospital’s priorities and needs. Through the Bear Necessity program, donors can send a cuddly teddy bear or sleep sack to a loved one or patient at MSH, providing comfort and warmth while supporting the purchase of critical, life-saving equipment.

This Giving Tuesday, December 1, you can make double the impact. For every Bear Necessity purchased, a second patient at MSH will receive a bear hug. Your generosity will also help ensure more patients and families have access to the care they need, when they need it most.

Make a patient’s stay a little more ‘bearable’ at MSHLifeSavingGifts.ca or learn more about MSH at mshf.on.ca.