When Robin Shingler collapsed in her yard, she had no idea she was moments away from death. The retired community health worker had suffered a sudden aortic aneurysm rupture—one of the most life-threatening cardiac emergencies. She was rushed to Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH), where cardiac surgeon Dr. Daniel Wong and his team performed an emergency surgery that saved her life.
“I felt so peaceful and so relieved,” Robin recalls about her first encounter with Dr. Wong after surgery. “I had never met him before, but he just spoke a few words to me, and I understood that he was reassuring me that everything had gone fine.”
Dr. Daniel Wong, a soon-to-be retired cardiac surgeon at RCH, has deeply impacted countless lives, including Annalise Schatz and Robin Shingler, through his compassionate care and personal connections with patients.
Annalise, an environmental educator, had already been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm before her mother’s medical emergency. But it was Robin’s sudden rupture that became the catalyst for Annalise to proceed with her own surgery.
“I had no signs, no warnings. If it wasn’t for my mom’s experience, I never would have gone ahead with my surgery,” Annalise says. “Dr. Wong was a guardian angel for us. If it weren’t for him, I might not be here, and my mother may not be here.”
Unlike her mother’s emergency, Annalise had the rare opportunity to undergo a planned surgery to repair her aorta before a crisis occurred. The decision wasn’t easy, but with the guidance of Dr. Wong and the cardiac team at RCH, she faced it with courage.
“I think that’s one of the things that’s important for our patients,” says Dr. Wong. “Annalise was very brave. She realized, ‘Okay, this is something I need to do.’ Even though it doesn’t cause symptoms, it’s hard to make that decision to go forward with a really big operation.”
Annalise Schatz’s heart-shaped necklace, made from a stone she found on Vancouver Island, symbolizes hope and strength. After her aneurysm diagnosis, it provided reassurance during her surgery at RCH and remains a lasting symbol of faith.
Now, both mother and daughter are thriving, grateful for the care they received and the second chance they’ve been given.
“We’ve kind of won the life lottery twice,” Annalise reflects. “And it just fills us with a huge sense of gratitude going forward.”
Robin, too, has a new perspective. “I think we’re all strong. We all have this inside us. Unfortunately, it takes something like this to happen before you know what you’re made of.”
Their story is a testament to the life-saving expertise at RCH and the vital role donors play in supporting cardiac care. “Philanthropy helps ensure we have the best facilities and technology to provide patients with the highest quality care,” says Dr. Wong. “The support of the Foundation makes a real difference in what we can do.”
Thanks to the generosity of donors, RCH continues to advance cardiac care, helping families like Robin and Annalise’s navigate life’s most critical moments with hope and strength.