Let me share a little story about my day trip to the Cornwall Community Hospital’s Day Surgery Unit, which turned out to be an eye-opener in more ways than one. I was there for a hysteroscopy, a procedure that, if you’re curious, could make your wallet about (USD) $2,800 to $4,500 lighter in the States. But here, in Cornwall, thanks to our healthcare system, I didn’t have to pay a dime.

First off, shoutout to Nurse Mario for getting my IV in without leaving a mark – seriously, no bruise! He was incredibly patient, spending a good 10 minutes on a vein hunt as those tricky little things seemed to be playing hide and seek. And then there was the rest of the crew – Jessica, Annie, Sherry, Dr. Ross, my anesthesiologist, with his cool surgery cap (seriously, it was rad), Dr. Dehinbo who performed the procedure, Sue, Debbie, Jordanne, who helped in the OR, and Taylan, my recovery nurse. They were all stars. Efficient, caring, and somehow managed to get me in and out in less than three hours.

But here’s the thing – while everything inside the hospital was smooth sailing, it’s hard not to notice the bigger picture. We’re always hearing about how stretched thin our healthcare system is, with not enough family doctors and nurses to go around. It’s a real problem, and it’s kind of scary thinking about what could happen if we don’t protect what we’ve got from those who think privatization is the way to go.

It’s easy to take potshots at our healthcare when we’re frustrated. But experiences like mine remind us how lucky we are. Imagine needing a procedure and having to decide if you can afford it. Imagine not being able to get the care you need, when you need it. That’s a reality for many people not too far from our borders.

Our system isn’t perfect. We’re short on doctors and nurses, wait lists for procedures can be long, but at least it’s still functioning. While the thought of privatization may seem appealing, it would only make things worst, take more doctors out of the public system.

The team at Cornwall didn’t just treat me; they reminded me of the importance of standing up for our healthcare system.

We’ve got something special here, and it’s worth fighting for. It’s about more than just avoiding bills. It’s about ensuring that everyone, regardless of income, can get the care they need when they need it, without worrying about the cost. It’s about supporting our healthcare workers and making sure they have what they need to do their jobs. And it’s definitely about speaking up to keep our system publicly funded and accessible to all.

Let’s not take our healthcare for granted. Let’s cherish it, protect it, and improve it. Because when it works, it’s pretty amazing – just ask anyone who’s walked out of a hospital without a bill, just a smile (and maybe a cool story about a nurse with a rad surgery cap).