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 McNeely害羞草研究所檚 patients, eight-year-old Jackson McKie 害羞草研究所� who he害羞草研究所檚 looked after since he was an infant 害羞草研究所� 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 couldn害羞草研究所檛 say no when the boy asked him to fix a tear in his fluffy friend before the operation.

害羞草研究所淚 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,害羞草研究所� McNeely said Tuesday.

The doctor asked the nurses to prepare a small table with some tools, and he used leftover stitches from McKie害羞草研究所檚 procedure to patch up the bear, Little Baby.

A medical resident at Halifax害羞草研究所檚 IWK Health Centre snapped a photo of the heartwarming moment.

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害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 one of the nicest human beings I害羞草研究所檝e ever met,害羞草研究所� Jackson害羞草研究所檚 father, Rick McKie, said of McNeely on Tuesday.

He said the boy was 害羞草研究所渢ickled pink害羞草研究所� when he woke up to see his favourite toy that he sleeps with every night, and he害羞草研究所檚 printing a photo of the bear害羞草研究所檚 surgery to frame in his room.

Little Baby害羞草研究所檚 operation was McNeely害羞草研究所檚 first on a toy 害羞草研究所� and he decided to share the photos as his first-ever tweet.

McNeely posted the photos to his Twitter feed (at)pdmcneely, writing 害羞草研究所淧atient asks if I can also fix teddy bear just before being put off to sleep 害羞草研究所� how could I say no?害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚 thought it might make a few people smile, that was the only intention I had,害羞草研究所� said McNeely. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 glad that others are enjoying it.害羞草研究所�

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 Jackson害羞草研究所檚 side, especially when he害羞草研究所檚 in pain, and he has appreciated McNeely害羞草研究所檚 care as a physician during the family害羞草研究所檚 many visits to IWK.

害羞草研究所淲hen we get there we害羞草研究所檙e terrified to death, but every time we talk to Dr. McNeely we feel better,害羞草研究所� said McKie.

The operation was to re-open a shunt required by the boy害羞草研究所檚 condition, to drain excess fluid putting pressure on his brain.

The Canadian Press

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