Grateful Patient shares her story to shine spotlight on seniors' care

Elsie Munro couldn’t believe her ears when she heard her cancer diagnosis in 2022.

“I was in shock. I just couldn't believe it. I thought, 'How can this be? Where did I get the cancer?'"

At 81 years old, Elsie was the picture of health. She took no regular medications and enjoyed an active lifestyle spending time with her family including her three children, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Now 84 years old, her loved ones would describe Elsie as a vibrant, selfless person who puts everyone else first, whose outfits and demeanor are always elegant, and whose greatest love is her family.

Elsie felt perfectly fine during the visit to her family doctor that sparked the discovery of her cancer. She had no reason to suspect anything was wrong. Simply because of Elsie’s age, her physician decided to run some routine tests they hadn’t done in a while. It was only then that they discovered a mass on a back muscle between Elsie’s left kidney and spleen. After additional tests confirmed the mass was cancerous, Elsie was referred to the Cross Cancer Institute for radiation treatment and to the Grey Nuns Community Hospital for surgery.

To remove the mass, Elsie had to undergo a complicated surgery that would last approximately five hours and require Elsie’s left kidney to be removed along with the cancer. Elsie’s surgeon, Dr. Erika Haase, explained the risks to Elsie. Proceeding with the surgery would remove the cancer, but taking out her left kidney could introduce complications and there was a potential Elsie could experience some nerve damage.

“Dr. Haase explained everything very well,” said Elsie. “I discussed it with my family, and I decided I had to go through with the surgery. But I was scared. I was nervous.”

During one of the most terrifying moments of her life, Elsie was extremely grateful for the comforting care she received at Covenant Health’s Grey Nuns Community Hospital, which made all the difference.

“The care that I got was unbelievable," Elsie said. "The staff catered to me as much as possible and checked on me all the time. They were absolutely phenomenal. I can't even describe it. I felt like a queen in there."

Elsie said every interaction she had with staff at the Grey Nuns made her feel comfortable and at ease. The skillful anesthesiologist ensured Elsie didn’t feel a thing while getting a needle in her back, the attentive nurses made sure Elsie always had everything she needed, and Dr. Haase performed a successful surgery. Dr. Haase also made sure she was there to comfort Elsie with a giant smile right before and

immediately after the procedure.

“Dr. Haase came in before I went to sleep and greeted me with the biggest smile. She said, ‘Are you ready? We’re ready for you.’ She made me feel so good. Then, when I came out, Dr. Haase again greeted me with a big smile. Because I felt absolutely no pain, I asked her if she was sure she finished the surgery!”

Tragedy strikes, but brings a family together

When we first approached Elsie to tell her story, this is where we thought it would end – a good-news story about the exceptional care she received during a difficult moment in her life. Unfortunately, there was bad news to come. During a follow-up appointment with Dr. Haase, Elsie learned her cancer had returned, and this time, it was terminal. Elsie’s care plan is now focused on making her as comfortable as possible. She expects to transition to hospice care soon where she’ll spend her final weeks or months.

Since her cancer returned, Elsie and her family have been learning how to navigate this period of transition together. For Lisa Munro, Elsie’s daughter-in-law and Covenant Foundation’s President & CEO, it has been a time to focus on what is most important – both in her personal life as Elsie’s family member, and in her professional role as the leader of the foundation, which exists to enhance care at the 22 Covenant sites across Alberta, including the Grey Nuns Hospital.

Although it has been difficult for the whole family to come to terms with Elsie’s diagnosis, Lisa is choosing to focus on the silver lining.

“Because of the exceptional care mum (Elsie) received at the Grey Nuns, we've been given the gift of intentional time together," said Lisa. "This experience has encouraged our whole family to slow down and make space to have more meaningful conversations. It has deepened our connections and brought us close together as we rally around our loved one." 

Recently, the whole family gathered to celebrate Elsie’s and her husband Colin’s 60th wedding anniversary.

“We would have celebrated the anniversary no matter what, but I’m not sure we would have done it without the same level of thoughtfulness if we hadn’t known our time with Elsie was limited,” said Lisa. “I’m grateful for the love that filled our house that day and the memories we’ll get to cherish forever.”

Elsie’s legacy

Even as she prepares to transition into hospice care, Elsie has a strong, vibrant spirit. She believes it’s now more important than ever to tell her story.

“I’m so grateful for the care I received at the Grey Nuns when I needed it most. And now, I want to give back by sharing my story and highlighting the importance seniors’ care. I’m so thankful for my family who have supported me when I needed it most. I’m also proud of Lisa, for raising support for seniors’ care through Covenant Foundation. I hope it helps more people like me.”

Seniors have complex health needs that range from acute hospital care to continuing care, supportive living, rehabilitation, mental health, and palliative and end-of-life care. The need for enhanced senior’s care is growing along with the population of seniors in our province, which continues to rise faster than all other age groups. Under Lisa’s leadership, Covenant Foundation has made seniors’ care one of its six priority focus areas. In June, the foundation launched its inaugural Seniors’ Month campaign presented in partnership with Bird Construction to help keep up with the demand and take bold steps to continue driving innovation in seniors’ care.

Considering what her family is going through right now, the Seniors’ Month campaign feels even more important on a personal level for Lisa.

“I deeply admire Elsie and her strength, and I have so much gratitude for the seniors in my life who have taught me so much,” said Lisa. “We all have seniors in our lives and it’s important to me that we do everything we can to help them get the care they deserve. Our Seniors’ Month campaign is one way we can show our beloved seniors, like Elsie, that we care and also raise vital funds that will help them have the best quality of life for as long as possible.”

For Elsie, her focus now is spending as much time as possible with her loved ones and leaving a positive mark on the world. In sharing her story, Elsie leaves a legacy of selflessness and generosity.

“I want to tell my story because I believe it's important that we all out for seniors," said Elsie. "I know what that exceptional care meant to me when I got it and I want others like me to be treated just the same. If I can inspire others to support seniors' care and help others get the care they need, it will all be worth it to me."

In their own words: What Elsie means to her family

We asked Elsie’s family what they love about her. Here’s what they had to say in their own words.

“Elsie is the kind of person that puts everyone else first and she has an elegance about her that makes you reach for a dress if she is coming to dinner. Even for a casual dinner at her house, she would set the table with matching cloth napkins, mats and flowers. For her grandkids, she would make Jello in wine glasses to make the experience ‘fancy’ and put their towels in the dryer to ensure they were warm when they got out of the bath. She happily volunteered at Claire’s (Elsie’s grandchild) school and would host Tyson and Bryce (Elsie’s grandchildren) and all of their friends for hotdog lunches when they were in school. Her family is her whole world.” – Lisa Munro

“She makes sure we leave her house with full bellies and full hearts.” – Kaelyn Munro

“Elsie gives the best hugs, and always shows kindness and compassion.” – Nikki Munro

“She is the quintessential grandma. She’s not happy until everyone else is.” – Tyson Munro

“Elsie always puts her family first. She is so adventurous; she and my dad have gone on numerous exciting trips together. She will always have chicken noodle soup and hotdogs ready for lunch if you’re coming over. She’s always very classy, a great listener, and the best friend you could have.” – Alison Munro