BCHS a vital component of the local community

The morning of June 25 started out like any other for The Bicycle Shop owner Terry Detheridge.

He and a group of friends headed out on their morning cycling trek at 6:30 a.m., taking in the beauty of Brantford’s trails on one of the two select routes they enjoy.

The beauty of the day soon faded when Terry took a bad spill from his bike.

“We were about 100 yards from the pedestrian bridge that goes across to Brant Park and I had a mishap and hit the asphalt pretty hard,” Terry said. “We ride every day…this day I chose that direction. It didn’t end well.”

Terry’s pelvis fractured in the fall. He lay on the trail for close to an hour before First Responders were able to reach him because the nearest gate was locked.

“They had to push the gurney all the way from Master’s parking lot on Hardy Road; that was the closest they could get without the keys to the access gates,” Terry explained.

Paramedics decided to back the ambulance along the trail as far as possible and the Fire Department sent an ATV to help transport Terry to the ambulance.

He thanks his friends Paul Monné and Mike Anderson for helping to keep him calm and warm during the wait for First Responders.

“They called 911 and told them where we were and in a few minutes we heard sirens so we knew they were coming from both sides,” Terry recalled. “All I remember is laying on the ground.”

As he lay in the cold another cyclist came by, recognized Terry and gave Terry his jacket to place under his head.

When First Responders arrived Terry had gone into shock; his blood pressure was extremely high and there was fear that the artery in his pelvis area could rupture.

Fortunately, Terry avoided further injury because he was wearing proper head protection. Later inspection revealed significant damage to his helmet.

Terry was rushed to Brantford General where Emergency Physician Dr. Paul Mathers administered morphine to alleviate Terry’s pain and make him more comfortable.

“They put me right into Zone 3 and assessed me there,” Terry said. “A while later they took me to the Diagnostic Imaging Department for a series of X-rays and found my acetabula (hip socket) was fractured.”

On-call Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. James Dill determined Terry would not require a new hip.

After spending some time in the hallway Terry was given a private room where he could rest while staff found an available inpatient bed, but was later moved to the seventh floor where medical staff closely monitored his high blood pressure, which was caused by the accident. He was released a week later after extensive physical rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation professionals Sara Gallagher, Lisa Mantel and Alina Shaw were empathetic and encouraging as they guided Terry through the rehab process, but they didn’t coddle him, even when he balked at taking the stairs.

Though it would be months before Terry could walk on his own again, the support and encouragement, coupled with the care he received, helped to make the time tolerable.

“I couldn’t move for two weeks; I couldn’t move my leg. There was no strength there at all and it was so painful,” he said.

Terry could only move his leg by lifting it with his hands. He spent the following two months in a wheelchair before graduating to crutches and then a cane.

Three more sets of X-rays were taken at the Brantford General Diagnostic Imaging Department, and each time Terry was impressed with the quality and professionalism of medical staff.

Intermittent, throbbing pain is a reminder of Terry’s mishap, but he is now walking on his own and back on his bike. Terry said he will be forever grateful for the excellent care he received during his journey to recovery.

“I was treated really well,” he said. “I have nothing but praise for everybody;

even the food was top-notch.”

“The food, I thought, was phenomenal. At 10:30 on Sunday morning they said ‘you can go home now,’ and I said ‘I’m waiting for my lunch first,’” he said with a laugh.

Terry and his family showed their appreciation for the quality care delivered by the Brant Community Healthcare System after his father was hospitalized two years earlier.

“We donated money to purchase an Airvo machine for the Critical Care Unit. It helps you breathe without having to put a tube down a patient’s throat,” he said. “We paid for one because when we had a memorial service for Dad there were a lot of donations for the hospital. The Bicycle Shop covered the rest.”

“It’s a real community here at the Brantford General,” Terry said of wanting to support the BCHS. “I also really appreciate the volunteers that give their time to help.”

Inadvertently, Terry’s accident helped make the trails a little safer for everyone. First Responders are now equipped with keys so they can easily open all access gates.

As the Detheridge family knows first-hand, when a health crisis or emergency affects you or a loved one, Brant Community Healthcare System is here to provide exceptional, professional and compassionate care in your time of need.

Behind each success of the Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) Foundation is the generosity of our community, our donors and volunteers. This continued commitment has enabled us to put our patients first by helping us to provide the right equipment, at the right time, when it matters most.

Now is the time to make a difference, please consider making a gift today that is meaningful to you, and support a strong healthcare system for our community.

Your continued support plays an important part in allowing us to provide quality patient care. Thank you!

To make a secure donation online, click here:

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For more information on how you can make a donation or offer your support
to the 12 Days of Giving campaign, please contact the BCHS Foundation
at 519-751-5510 or by email at foundation@bchsys.org

NOW is the time to make a difference, please consider making a gift today
that is meaningful to you, and support a strong healthcare system for our community.

Thank you to our many generous sponsors!

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Please support the Brant Community Healthcare System Foundation

When crisis or illness impacts you or a loved one, the BCHS is here for you in your time of need. 

Your gift today could help save a life tomorrow.