A column that appeared in this space last week, looking at the record high wait times for non-emergency surgery, prompted a heart-wrenching response from one reader.

Jeff Dyck, a 52-year-old wealth-management professional from Calgary, said it hit particularly close to home because three days earlier he had been diagnosed with inoperable Stage 4 cancer in his colon, liver and lymph nodes. His only option left is extension-of-life treatment through chemotherapy.