Myles' Journey From Pain Patient to Medical Student

Myles has had a long history with SickKids. It began in 2010 as a patient and then as a Child Life Volunteer, doing all he could to promote a positive experience for children in the hospital.

In March 2010, when Myles was 13, he had a bad fall while playing hockey, his favourite sport. That night he started feeling tremendous pain in his right arm and shoulder, which escalated to the point where he couldn't even put on a shirt as any contact with his right arm caused an intense reaction. Over the next three months, Myles’ pain increased. He was forced to stop all extracurricular activities, including hockey, and was bedridden for weeks, missing a significant amount of school. He visited many doctors in search of a diagnosis, but no one could explain the reason for his pain.

Finally, Myles visited the pain clinic at SickKids, where he was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) in his right arm. CRPS is a chronic neuropathic pain condition. Though its exact cause remains unknown, many believe that it is prompted by damage to, or malfunction of, the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Once diagnosed, Myles underwent daily intensive rehabilitation, and with great perseverance, he showed significant improvement over the next 18 months.

“Everyone at SickKids showed great empathy and compassion towards me,” says Myles. “Especially staff in the pain clinic. The support and treatment they provided allowed me to recover sufficiently to get back to life almost two years later. I truly owe them the life I have today. They are my heroes and my gold standard for kindness, compassion and empathy.”

As Myles was recovering from CRPS, he needed to keep his arm moving in order to rebuild deteriorated muscles and played the game Guitar Hero as a way of working these muscles. His parents eventually bought him a real guitar, enabling him to realize his passion for making music.  “Music served as a distraction from my illness and an enjoyable medium to express my feelings,” says Myles. He eventually used his guitar playing to start a weekly music program at Toronto Rehab for many years, where he also became passionate about helping the elderly.

Myles’ rehabilitation at SickKids allowed him to attend and graduate high school and university and get back to his extracurricular activities, including hockey. As he got older, Myles’ positive interaction with the staff at SickKids inspired him to become a Child Life Volunteer.

“Going back to SickKids as a Child Life Volunteer gave me the opportunity to share my story, my coping strategies, and make an impact on others the way the pain staff made an impact on me” says Myles.

Myles’ experiences at SickKids as a patient and the volunteering with patients he did at SickKids, Toronto rehab, and Toronto General, inspired him to pursue a future career in healthcare. “I hope that achieving my dream to become a healthcare professional will allow me to share my own past experiences, extend a helping hand to others in need, and let them know that they are not alone in this world.”

Thanks to the people at SickKids, Myles accomplished his dreams, and is currently a medical student at McMaster University, graduating with his MD next year!