A Halifax neurosurgeon has performed a career first, after a young patient asked him to stitch up a beloved teddy bear while the boy recovered from surgery.

Like many of Dr. Daniel McNeelyB次元官网网址檚 patients, eight-year-old Jackson McKie B次元官网网址� who heB次元官网网址檚 looked after since he was an infant B次元官网网址� brought a stuffed toy to the operating room with him last Thursday.

McKie, who lives with his family in Summerside, P.E.I., has a cyst on his brain and a chronic condition called hydrocephalus.

McNeely said he couldnB次元官网网址檛 say no when the boy asked him to fix a tear in his fluffy friend before the operation.

B次元官网网址淚 thought if there was something I could do to help make him feel better, it seemed like a simple gesture and I was only too happy to oblige,B次元官网网址� McNeely said Tuesday.

The doctor asked the nurses to prepare a small table with some tools, and he used leftover stitches from McKieB次元官网网址檚 procedure to patch up the bear, Little Baby.

A medical resident at HalifaxB次元官网网址檚 IWK Health Centre snapped a photo of the heartwarming moment.

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B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 one of the nicest human beings IB次元官网网址檝e ever met,B次元官网网址� JacksonB次元官网网址檚 father, Rick McKie, said of McNeely on Tuesday.

He said the boy was B次元官网网址渢ickled pinkB次元官网网址� when he woke up to see his favourite toy that he sleeps with every night, and heB次元官网网址檚 printing a photo of the bearB次元官网网址檚 surgery to frame in his room.

Little BabyB次元官网网址檚 operation was McNeelyB次元官网网址檚 first on a toy B次元官网网址� and he decided to share the photos as his first-ever tweet.

McNeely posted the photos to his Twitter feed (at)pdmcneely, writing B次元官网网址淧atient asks if I can also fix teddy bear just before being put off to sleep B次元官网网址� how could I say no?B次元官网网址�

As of Tuesday afternoon, the tweet had been retweeted more than 6,600 times, liked 14,000 times and had garnered more than 210 responses from people around the world, including his former residents, commenting on the kind gesture.

B次元官网网址淚 thought it might make a few people smile, that was the only intention I had,B次元官网网址� said McNeely. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 glad that others are enjoying it.B次元官网网址�

McNeely was happy to reunite the boy with his stuffed animal, and said the small gesture was one example of how health care providers can care for and comfort their patients in non-medical ways.

Rick McKie said Little Baby is always by JacksonB次元官网网址檚 side, especially when heB次元官网网址檚 in pain, and he has appreciated McNeelyB次元官网网址檚 care as a physician during the familyB次元官网网址檚 many visits to IWK.

B次元官网网址淲hen we get there weB次元官网网址檙e terrified to death, but every time we talk to Dr. McNeely we feel better,B次元官网网址� said McKie.

The operation was to re-open a shunt required by the boyB次元官网网址檚 condition, to drain excess fluid putting pressure on his brain.

The Canadian Press

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