The kindness of strangers: Card from terminally ill patient to medical student kept for 14 years

CBC Radio One's The Early Edition asked listeners to share their stories of kindness from strangers. Dr. Julia Raudzus' story is the fifth in a CBC series that airs from Dec. 10 - 14 about those moments of kindness.

Dear stranger,

I met you at St . Paul's Hospital in 2004, when I was a third year medical student just starting my clinical rotations.

You were one of my assigned patients and, over the course of my rotation, we got to know each other. I remember how gracious you were, allowing me to fumble through the medical interview and physical tests as someone new to the job.

We didn't know each other long.

Your illness was complex, severe and terminal. At some point, you were transferred to the palliative care unit where I continued to visit you.While you were there, you and your partner got married. You'd been a lifelong couple but decided to have a wedding.

It was the last time I remember seeing you.

The ceremony was held in the palliative care unit, attended by hospital staff and friends alike.As an unexpected surprise when Iattended your wedding, the two of you gave me a card.To this day, the words you wrote still resonate with me, and the card now hangs framed in my office.

It reads:

May your career go as well as you want it and better than you thought Thanks. Peace.

And, underneath:

There's more to being a good doctor than the knowledge of medicine. I hope you stay the way you are. Many blessings.

That card had such a meaningful impact on my career.

Over time, I've reflected on these words and I think what I've come to realize is just how important relationships are. Medicine is complex.The problem solving is complex, but relationships are really at the base of all that.

When we have the privilege of being in a career like medicine, wesee people at their most vulnerable.

In the learning process as doctors, we are also vulnerable.

The impact you and your partnerhad by demonstrating care and giving me this message of wisdomhas been profound.

Often, very small gestures things that others might regard as unimportant can be really salient. It's about the connections that people have, and this card speaks to that and to the importance of relationships.

If you have a story about the kindness of strangers, email The Early Edition at earlyed@cbc.ca.