You speak for all of us, Dr. Walde

SooToday.com has received the following letter from loyal reader Kathy Lemieux, concerning the recently-announced earlier-than-anticipated retirement of Dr. David Walde (shown):

************************* Dr. Walde:

I have not had the pleasure of meeting you personally.

I hope I will never need you as a doctor or someone in your field.

However, I do have family and friends that are and were patients of yours.

You have given them comfort during their hard battle with illness because of your compassion, expertise and dedication.

You are an important link in the Sault to other experts and specialized hospitals.

I have seen by the fund-raising for our new hospital, the many long hours you put in to ensure your patients receive the best care possible, that being a doctor is far more than a career.

It is a passion.

What you have given us as a City, patient and future has probably been at the expense of your private life.

I am grateful that your family has shared you with the rest of us.

From what I know about the hospital administration and your disgust with losing palliative care beds, it seems to have been the last straw with what has been a constant battle to protect what little we have.

You have taken a stand and have been the voice for all of us.

This is a job on top of everything else.

Your leaving early and patients having to use other resources that are already stretched to the limits (example: emergency) makes no sense and I believe will cost more in the long run.

But for the hospital administration, the books will look good on the oncology part of the budget.

If only the people trying to make these numbers work could follow you around or be a patient for one day they might have a sense of the importance of what you are trying to maintain.

How can the hospital or our city think this situation is going to help us attract new doctors?

The reality is cancer is not going away and seems to affect just about everyone you know in one way or another.

I just want to let you know how thankful and grateful my family and I are for you gallantly stepping forward and for being our voice.

Even though we think of it as being on your side, it is really you that is on our side.

I hope the public will show its support behind you and provide a strong stand.

After all, it is the Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding area that have the most to gain and the most to lose.

All that you have done, both big and small, has not gone unnoticed.

Thank you, Kathy Lemieux

************************* Earlier SooToday.com coverage of this story

Fed up with hospital administrators, Walde walks On Dr. Walde's departure and the cancer bunker City Council expresses concern about hospital situation You speak for all of us, Dr. Walde