OSTOMY HALIFAX BURLEIGH WILE 2020
OSTOMY HALIFAX BURLEIGH WILE 2020
Burleigh Wile is smiling today.
He is so pleased that the 2020 recipient of the award named for him and his dedication to Ostomy Halifax Society is Graham Thomas.
Graham stands for everything Burleigh admired. He serves others willingly. He is the first to volunteer if someone is required to do a job, large or small. He smiles constantly, even in the face of adversity or challenge.
Burleigh Wile was like that. Always available to help, whether in a leadership role as President of Ostomy Halifax, or as a greeter. As someone to drive people to meetings, or to help set up the room for the monthly meetings. Always there. Always willing. Always giving of himself.
Graham and Burleigh could have been brothers – certainly in spirit. Graham NEVER refuses to help. He jumps into an empty position when the role needs filling. He readily offers to chair an event, and does it with grace, calm and capability. He organizes events and special activities with creativity and competence and graciously leads groups to consensus. He visits new ostomates when the need arises. He asks pertinent questions during education sessions at monthly meetings, and at chapter business Graham has certainly had health issues, as most of us have, and has moved through them with dignity, without moans and groans. The positive attitude is infectious, evident at pre-meeting gatherings and post-meeting social times when he shares the long experience of life with an ostomy with anyone who seeks comfort, advice, or just a smile or a joke.
And that smile! Always there, always beaming. Never a frown. This is one of the first things new ostomates notice when they receive a visit in hospital. They cannot feel down when greeted with a smile that says, “Don’t worry, everything is going to be OK.”
Graham was featured in the summer issue of Ostomy Canada Magazine and told his amazing story there.
He was interviewed at the November 18 ZOOM meeting of Ostomy Halifax and related more of his life experiences.
He is a man who has accomplished much through hard work and dedication, who built a successful business because he treated people well and brought them back as repeat customers.
A Yiddish word “mensch” means a true gentleman or lady, a person who would do anything to make life better for those around them. Someone who would give the proverbial shirt off his or her back if they could improve someone else’s well-being.
Our 2020 Burleigh Wile Award recipient is a true MENSCH - GRAHAM THOMAS
By Joel Jacobson
Originally published in the November 2020 edition of the Ostomy Halifax Gazette