One Smiley Face at a Time: How a Volunteer’s Kindness Reached Kensington Palace

At the R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre (DRCC), a small act of kindness is making a big impact – thanks to a dedicated volunteer with a Sharpie, a big heart, and a pocket full of smiley face pins.

Since 2019, Brian Bussiere has been a familiar and comforting presence at Lakeridge Health’s DRCC, offering drinks, and much more, to patients receiving systemic cancer treatments. A proud Oshawa resident, Brian first got involved after being inspired by his daughter, Stephanie, who had volunteered at Lakeridge Health years earlier. When he retired, he knew he wanted to give back to his community in a meaningful way.

What started as simply handing out drinks during treatments took an unexpected turn the day Brian, on a whim, drew a smiley face on a patient’s paper cup.

“I had a Sharpie with me, and someone asked for a drink,” Brian recalls. “I’m certainly no artist, but I added a little smiley face. When I handed the cup to my guest, because I like to call patients my guests, the reaction blew me away. It was such a simple thing, but it brought such joy.”

From that day forward, every single cup Brian hands out has a smiley face on it.

“I saw how much it meant to people, Brian adds. “Some keep the cups, others post them on social media. One guest even displays them on her piano at home.”

The impact of his smiley cups reached beyond anything Brian could have imagined. Wanting to do more, he ordered hundreds of custom smiley face pins that are shaped like one of his cups and began sharing them with patients, fellow volunteers, and staff. These cheerful little pins quickly became a symbol of hope and positivity throughout the cancer centre.

Then, earlier this year, knowing that the Princess of Wales had undergone chemotherapy, Brian felt moved to share his message of hope with her. He wrote a heartfelt, handwritten letter and enclosed one of his smiley pins – just hoping to send a little encouragement across the pond.

To his amazement, a few weeks later, he received not one, but two responses: a personal letter addressed to him, and another dedicated to patients at the DRCC. The Princess shared a touching message about the journey through treatment, “there are both good days and bad days, but you are never alone.”

“I’ve shown the letters to patients and the reactions have ranged from beaming smiles to tears,” Brian says. “The team of nurses saw it and now it will be framed and displayed so all can see it!”

Brian’s dedication to lifting spirits hasn’t stopped with smiley pins or cups. He’s now looking at other ways to spread the message even further. Also, Brian recently signed up for Ride for the ‘Ridge in support of Lakeridge Health hospitals. Fittingly, his team name is Team Smiley, sporting a custom jersey inspired by his smiley face cup.

Looking ahead, Brian hopes to continue his mission to brighten the days of those going through treatment.

“My goal is simple: keep the smiley face moving around. If I can help someone feel a little better, even for a moment, then it’s all worth it.”

When asked if he had a message for patients, staff and fellow volunteers at DRCC, he said: "I want people to see that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a big impact. You never know how far a smile can go."