How Women’s College Hospital’s Connected Care Transformed Bunny’s Experience with Chronic Illness

Bunny lived with undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis for more than 20 years before finally receiving answers. A decade after joining Women’s College Hospital’s Family Practice, she says the difference in her care has been profound.

 

In this conversation, Bunny reflects on the relief of finally being understood by a coordinated care team and the critical role the Acute Ambulatory Care Unit (AACU) played in resolving a complex medical crisis, and why continued support for programs like the AACU is important. Her story highlights the powerful impact compassionate, connected care can have on people living with chronic illness.

After living with undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis for more than 20 years, how did finally receiving a diagnosis change your experience?

It was a very long process, and it took a GP who was a hematologist who looked at my blood tests and saw all the inflammatory markers. Ironically, my rheumatologist at the time did not look at them. He sent me to a rheumatologist who was also a researcher, and I was diagnosed with having PsA/rheumatoid arthritis without having psoriasis. I found out afterwards there between 5 to 15% of the population does not have psoriasis before arthritis.

The journey was arduous and finding the right drug was exceedingly difficult. But I’ve been on a good cocktail of drugs for the last 16 years.

Of course, with this type of illness, there will always be other issues that come up because of the damaging effects of immune compromised diseases, but having a diagnosis after so many years is such a relief. And that is usually the most difficult issue.

What brought you to Women’s College Hospital’s Family Practice, and what has it meant to have a consistent care team supporting you?

I came to Women’s College Hospital 10 years ago. We were moving back to Canada and I was very worried about getting care once we came back to Toronto. In the 20 years we had been away, there had been incredible changes in the healthcare system. Through a friend I was able to join the family practice and quite honestly, it has been a wonderful experience. The connection between the family practice and the hospital is unparalleled.

WCH Family Practice physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, technicians, and staff understand what their patients’ issues are. It gives one the confidence to keep battling a disease like this. In talking to other people, I realize how very very lucky we are to have this relationship between family doctors and Women’s College Hospital.

You have spoken about the impact everyone from technicians to specialists has had on your experience. Is there a particular moment that has stayed with you?

I was having a number of bladder infections in ‘25 in and around a lumbar back fusion and with an intolerance to antibiotics, I was not getting any significant relief. I was sent to the AACU initially to see if I could get an infusion of antibiotics. In their analysis and talking to my GP and the doctor and pharmacist at the AACU, I was referred to a urologist, an allergist and a drug interactions allergist. Between all of them, my medications and bladder issues have been stabilized. Without this umbrella look at my health I would still be having terrible problems. Having this unit in our hospital is such a benefit to patients in crisis.

Hospitals like WCH rely on donor support to maintain and grow programs like the AACU and specialized care teams. Why do you believe philanthropic support matters?

Women’s College Hospital is a very unique, specialized hospital for which we are extremely lucky to have in Toronto. Having the AACU stationed in our hospital to help support the WCH family practice and the hospital staff is very unique. From what I understand, one of the few in the city of Toronto. The fact that patients within the system of Women’s College Hospital have access through referral from their GP to this unit provides a level of care well above the possibilities that we might get in a hospital emergency department. Future funding is extremely important to continue supporting this effort.