Some days are so busy that Peace Officer Robert “Buzz” Baizley’s office window view is a blur of colour and motion. People shuffle by the Protective Services kiosk on their way to the emergency department at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital.
They often stop, wide-eyed, to ask Buzz for help.
“I won't be afraid … just as long as you stand, stand by me.”
From “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King
Officer Buzz Baizley (left) is a peace officer at the Grey Nuns in Edmonton. He advocates for vulnerable patients, like Ian Stuckey (centre). This is a blessing to Ian's parents, Jan and Ed Stuckey (right), because without peace officers, without Buzz, Ian would not have access to medical care at Grey Nuns.
“Someone will come up to us about every 10 minutes and ask, 'Where is the ER?' … even though it is literally around the corridor," Buzz says with a chuckle. It doesn’t bother Buzz, a thick-skinned and big-hearted man.
“We deal with people every day who come in and their life has suddenly gone from normal to in crisis."
Patients
with special needs, such as those with autism or a brain injury, find an emergency visit
even more challenging, adds Buzz. They are agitated by the loud noises,
unfamiliar setting and bright lights of the emergency ward. Whenever
necessary, Buzz steps in to help the medical team do their job and keep
everyone safe.
"This attitude of caring and watching out for those who are most vulnerable among us is held by the majority of those who work in Protective Services," says Buzz.
Ever since he was a child, Buzz has been drawn to people with special needs. He credits a special man named Cyril for waking up this mission early in his youth.
“I see a little bit of Cyril in special needs patients who need my help today.”
Robert Baizley, Peace Officer
Ian (right) is the much-loved 50-year-old son of Ed and Jan Stuckey. Their nightmare has always been accessing medical services, because Ian panics in busy emergency rooms. Finding someone who can help at these critical times is a godsend. Here, Officer Buzz Baizley (left) hugs Ian at his home, where he gets round-the-clock care and supervision.
“When I was
growing up, my grandmother had a little grocery store and an employee named
Cyril who was brain injured,” Buzz explains. “Cyril was the same age as my
father, and my family kept an eye out for him. Cyril had a wagon, and my
grandmother would give him a list of addresses to deliver groceries to. Kids
would try to steal stuff. One time I was riding a bike to my grandmother’s
place and Cyril was trying to cross a field to get to an address. Kids were
picking on him. One kid picked up a rock and threw it at him. I remember
throwing my bike down and taking that kid out on the spot. And then I had to walk
with Cyril so he could make his deliveries and get him home safely.”
“Yes, I see a little bit of Cyril in special needs patients who need my help today,” Buzz explains. “The Cyrils of the world need us and we need them. They help us recognize where our compassion comes in.”
Read more about Buzz's impact in the 2017 Annual Report to the Community.
"Buzz can understand what's going on in Ian's head," says Jan Stuckey, Ian's mother (right). "That's high emotional intelligence—a unique kind of gift."
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