Belleville Sens Teddy Bear Toss comes full circle for local healthcare worker

As the calendar turns to December, fans of the Belleville Senators have come to anticipate not just the flying of snow through the air, but fur as well during the club’s annual Teddy Bear Toss game. It’s a thrill for both children and families, with every player on the home side hoping to score the goal that will release hundreds of stuffed animals from the CAA Arena crowd. These plush toys are then collected and donated to children at local hospitals, or other community organizations.

This year’s event, in partnership with Shriners Children’s Hospitals, is scheduled for Friday, December 13, at CAA Arena, when the Senators host the Rochester Americans, the AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.

For Sara Haley, a registered nurse with Quinte Health, the Teddy Bear Toss carries a personal meaning. Sara’s journey demonstrates her resilience in overcoming significant medical challenges. It also shaped her passion for helping others and highlights the importance of the tradition.

In 2011, when she was 11 years old, Sara was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune illness called Wegener’s Granulomatosis (or GPA) that affected her ability to breathe, walk, and talk. She spent nearly a full year at SickKids Hospital, mostly in critical care. She missed some of Grade 6, all of Grade 7, and part of Grade 8.

During her time in the hospital, she survived eight near-death experiences, had emergency open-heart surgery, and underwent 23 other surgeries on her throat. The disease destroyed her vocal cords, voice box, and windpipe, which surgeons had to rebuild using cartilage from her rib cage.

Sara endured countless other serious health challenges at SickKids and Mt. Sinai Hospital while fighting for her life. She received numerous infusion treatments, including chemotherapy, immune therapies, and bone-strengthening treatments. Now 24 years old, Sara still receives monthly treatments at Mt. Sinai.

At one point, she was in a wheelchair for months while healing from a fractured back. She required an emergency tracheostomy in 2012 because she could not breathe. Sara is grateful she was able to have the procedure reversed in 2018 at Mt. Sinai Hospital with the help of amazing doctors, whom she holds in the highest regard.

While she was in critical care at SickKids, members of the Oshawa Generals paid Sara a visit for her 12th birthday. This gesture was special to her because she loved attending their games.

Two Generals players, their general manager, and the communications manager came to visit her. The owner later invited Sara and 12 of her friends to watch a game in his private suite, complete with pizza and drinks. That experience meant so much to her. The Generals’ goalie at the time, Kevin Bailie (a Belleville native), even said kind words about her on the ice after the game. She stayed in touch with the netminder for quite a while.

“They truly raised my spirits,” Sara said. “The thing that stood out the most to me during that experience was how compassionate the hockey players were to take the time to come visit me in the hospital and turn a bad day into a good one. I will never forget that day and how they put a smile on my face.”

The visit and the game proved to be major turning points for Sara. She not only recovered but resumed her studies and in 2022, graduated from Ontario Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Sara was inspired to become a nurse by the health care professionals who cared for her as a child at SickKids Hospital.

Sara’s experiences helped her recognize the need for gifted healthcare practitioners. They also gave her a great deal of empathy for children needing care.

“I wanted to be able to give back the care that I received. I chose paediatric nursing because I thought it was special that I could relate to the children,” she said. “I know what it’s like to be in their position at such a young age. I also know what it’s like for families and parents to have a sick child, and I wanted to provide the support that my family received when I was a patient. A lot of my childhood was spent in the hospital, and my story is what motivates me to be the best nurse I can be today.”

Did her journey influence how she supports children in her care?

“Yes, 100%. My experience has allowed me to be a stronger and more compassionate nurse because I know what it’s like to be in their shoes,” she said. “I know what it felt like to be a patient in the hospital, and I can relate to these kids while providing support that I found helpful when I was a child in their position. I can also support these families and patients by motivating them to stay strong and showing them that there can be light at the end of the tunnel.”

One specific example that guided her toward her chosen career was a nurse who cared for her in the ICU. She still recalls how this special individual helped her.

“She was very compassionate and always put a smile on my face. She made everything I wanted to happen and treated me like her own child, not just as a patient,” Sara said. “She really showed me what nursing is, and since then, it has inspired me to be like her for my own patients.”

In her own practice, Sara draws on the examples of the exceptional nurses who cared for her as a child.

“My personal journey has shaped the way I care for others because I have had countless nurses care for me, and I’ve learned the qualities of a good nurse,” she said. “Nurses play a huge role in the patient and family experience, the healing process, and the overall hospital stay.”

Sara believes that nurses have a special role in providing both medical and emotional care.

“I also believe nursing is more than just medically caring for a patient,” she said. “For me, the nurses who stood out and had the biggest impact on my life were the ones who not only cared for me medically but also provided support, empathy, and compassion for the things I was going through. That is the kind of nurse I strive to be for my patients.”

Sara’s experiences offer a unique perspective on how small gestures, like a stuffed toy, can make a meaningful difference for children facing medical hardships. This is her message to all the fans at the event:

“Fans tossing the teddy bears, you may not realize the impact this has on a paediatric patient, but for them, it’s not just a teddy bear it’s a new best friend, a safe place to hide, and a source of comfort when they’re at their lowest and saddest moments,” she said. “Thank you for supporting these patients. This small act can truly change the lives of these children.”

Sara knows that visits from teams are incredibly impactful because they create memories that last forever and motivate kids to stay strong and not give up, no matter what they’re going through.

“Paediatric patients often use teddy bears as a form of emotional support, safety, and protection,” she said. “A teddy bear provided by teams like the Belleville Senators can symbolize a very special and important memory that will stay with these kids forever.”

Nurses and hockey players were major inspirations for Sara as a child. Now, as a hero to children every day, her story shows how initiatives like the Teddy Bear Toss can provide comfort to those facing difficult circumstances.

the 2024 Teddy Bear Toss this Friday, December 13, against the Rochester Americans and all home games through the rest of the 2024-25 Belleville Sens season are now on sale via Ticketmaster, by emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com, or the Belleville Sens Box Office at CAA Arena during select hours.