A volunteer known for making cancer patients and their families smile is smiling himself this week.
Tony Peters, the oldest active volunteer at Windsor Regional Hospital, celebrated his 99th birthday Thursday with a cake and a party in the lobby of the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre. Tony was surrounded by family, hospital staff, fellow volunteers, and other well-wishers.
Tony was born in 1919, when Sir Robert Borden was Canada's Prime Minister, Woodrow Wilson was President of the United States, and E. Blake Winter was mayor of Windsor. At 99, Tony walks from his nearby home five days a week and greets cancer patients, their families, and visitors.
As "Happy Birthday" and Christmas music were played in the background on the lobby's piano, Tony looked back on his 12 years of volunteering and found it impossible to come up with a single, greatest memory.
"So many people in 12 years that I got to know and make friends with, and I just can't name everybody," said Tony. "I think everybody's been so good to me in letting me come here and do this job for them."
Monica Staley Liang, the regional vice-president of cancer services at the hospital, said Tony's personality is just what is needed at the cancer centre.
"He brings inspiration to all of our team, to how we live our life and what we can bring to our patients," said Staley Liang. "It keeps him focused and it gets him up every day and he's truly a part of our team."
That's a sentiment echoed by WRH CEO David Musyj, who also attended the party. He told BlackburnNewsWindsor.com that there are over 650 volunteers at the hospital, and at least 50 of them are over the age of 80.
"When they use the words 'priceless', that's Tony," said Musyj. "He comes here every day with a smile on his face. He wants to be here. He wants to help out. He's just amazing, and he sets an example for everyone, including myself."
