30 years later: Maureen and Strider reunite

As adults, we know how scary it is to come to the hospital, especially as a child. There are many unfamiliar faces, loud noises and overwhelmed patients and families.

The role of CHEO staff and medical staff is not just to assess and treat, but to also entertain, distract and comfort our kids, particularly those who are here for a longer stay.

The story of Strider Armstrong and Maureen Merkley proves that making the extra effort for our kids can have an impact that lasts a lifetime.

In 1993, Strider Armstrong, 9, came to CHEO for an acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) relapse.

This is when he met Maureen Merkley, who would quickly become his favourite nurse. Having to spend months in the hospital can be daunting for any child, especially one receiving cancer treatment. But Maureen and CHEO staff and medical staff on 4 East found a way to make it less scary for young Strider.

Three years later, Strider finished his treatments and was happy to leave the hospital, but sad to leave the team who made his stay so welcoming, especially Maureen.

Little did he know that he would see her again. In 2017, Strider started at CHEO as an RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist). Wondering if Maureen was still there, he typed her name as he knew it at that time through CHEO’s email function, but she didn’t pop up. Thinking she had probably retired, Strider gave up.

Then, last December, Strider received an email about a Christmas gift drive when he noticed an email at the bottom with a name that resembled Maureen’s. Excitedly, he sent her the following message:

Hello Maureen,

My name is Strider Armstrong, I am an RT at CHEO.  I had leukemia when I was a child and was treated at CHEO from 1993 to 1996.  I started working here in 2017 and hoped to connect with a few of the doctors and nurses that really made a difference for me as a patient way back then.  I know with absolute certainty that my favourite nurse’s name was Maureen. I used to hide in my room with syringes filled with water and squirt the nurses when they came in. I remember Maureen always having the best reaction and making it the most fun. I don't expect you to remember me but just know that you made a real difference for me during a really crappy time in my life.

It worked! Strider received the following email from Maureen:

Good morning, Strider. Your email brought tears to my eyes. That was so long ago. I've cared for so many young children over the years. I often wonder how they are doing today. To know that I made a small difference in your life keeps me in the profession. I have been helping in ICU over the past 6 weeks. Maybe we will see each other there. Merry Christmas Strider, thank you for reaching out to me with your story.

A few weeks later, Strider was able to tell her in person that he had never forgotten her.  

As nurses or physicians, it’s easy to see only the illness and not the child. If we’re lucky, our care providers don’t just take care of our illness but make us forget why we’re there in the first place.

Child Life Specialists