MUHC celebrates Remembrance Day with parade
“Bagpipe music has a unique emotional resonance,” Meakins shared. “It reaches deep into the soul, often moving people to tears for reasons that are hard to explain.”
The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) commemorated Remembrance Day with a parade on Monday, led by bagpiper and former Cedars Cancer Centre patient, William David Inglis.
“It’s a real honor for me to play at the Glen. I’m a patient there,” said Inglis. “We live in a democratic, free country, and this day is a time to pause and reflect on those who fought for our freedom.”
Inglis, who is a lifelong athlete, discovered a lump on his leg in the summer of 2023. Initially dismissing it, he became concerned when it didn’t go away after two weeks. Following a doctor's visit and an MRI, he was diagnosed with a type of sarcoma.
“I underwent a biopsy and then had radiation therapy for 10 days,” Inglis explained. “Then, in November, Dr. Anthony Bozzo, assisted by plastic surgeon Dr. Xu, performed a five-hour surgery at the Montreal General Hospital. I spent a week recovering, and surprisingly, the hospital food was quite good.”
After the parade, a ceremony included a moment of silence to honor Canadian Armed Forces members who lost their lives, followed by a recitation of the iconic poem, In Flanders Fields, penned by John McCrae, who had worked at the Royal Victoria Hospital before being deployed to Belgium in 1914.
“This is about heritage and preserving the memory of soldiers, as well as doctors who served in World War I, World War II, and Afghanistan,” said Jonathan Meakins, director of the RBC Art and Heritage Centre. He praised curator Alexandra Kirsh for finding a piper who was also a patient at the hospital.
“Bagpipe music has a unique emotional resonance,” Meakins shared. “It reaches deep into the soul, often moving people to tears for reasons that are hard to explain.”
Inglis, who began playing the bagpipe at the age of 40 with no prior musical experience, has been playing for 20 years. Remarkably, just two months after his surgery, he returned to ice skating and has since cycled nearly 5,000 kilometers.
“The staff at Cedars and the Glen were incredible,” Inglis said. “They guided me through every step of my diagnosis and treatment, and I’m happy to report that I’m doing well now.”
