Crystal Sum

In Honour of My Dad, Robert Sum — A Personal Testament with UHN

In November 2024, my dad was admitted to Toronto General Hospital, where he stayed for a month and a half. His colon cancer was advancing, and during that time, we lived with constant uncertainty. Every couple of weeks brought a new setback, including COVID caught in hospital, and I didn’t know if my dad was going to make it. Through the consistent care from doctors and nurses, he was treated with dignity, patience, respect, and genuine kindness every single day. My dad let it be known that he wanted to go home, and through his perseverance - his goal to feel good enough to be home - the healthcare workers that took care of my dad made his wish come true. 

When my dad was being wheeled out to the ambulance to go home just before the holidays, I brought the staff a thank you card along with coffee and treats, a small token for the immeasurable care and kindness shown. They were appreciative of the gesture and overjoyed that he was able to go home. They mentioned that my dad was such a kind man, who pleasantly greeted them hello and always said thank you. As I expressed my gratitude, I found myself in tears and I wasn’t alone, they were crying too. It was a moment I will never forget. It showed such humility and connection amongst people in a tiring crucial job, one which often goes thankless. 

UHN’s care didn’t end there. With UHN’s home care support, my dad was able to live the final months of his life with regular check ups and check ins in comfort and peace at home with his family.

Through firsthand experience, I now understand why UHN’s Toronto General Hospital is ranked the 2nd best hospital in the world. This distinction comes from Newsweek, in partnership with global data platform Statista, which has evaluated hospitals across 32 countries each year since 2019. My hope is that the future of healthcare in Toronto, Ontario, and across Canada continues to reflect the same level of compassion and excellence that my dad and our family were so fortunate to receive during one of the most pivotal times in our lives. In a system already under strain, the loss of roughly 700 healthcare positions province wide since January 2026 is deeply concerning, and a reminder of how vital it is to support and protect the people who care for us.

On May 30th, I walk in honour of my dad, a man who cherished his daily walks and deeply believed in our free healthcare system. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your support and generosity. This journey isn’t possible without you because together, we are stronger.

Much love, always,

Crystal Sum

P.S. Coincidently, today I came across a letter from my dad reminding me of the time he was first diagnosed with colon cancer. My dad, who was impartial to medical attention, told me this story time and time again about how his doctor spent almost an hour on the phone with him on his day off to convince him to get an important surgery in regards to his colon. My dad ended up doing it in 2017 and it had prolonged his life by 8 years. You can find that “reminder” letter in the photo gallery.