Country 105

Aurora’s family will always be grateful for the Alberta Children’s Hospital. It’s a place that has saved her life – twice. It was last February when Aurora started getting nosebleeds, losing weight and losing energy. Her mom had the idea to take her to the eye doctor to get checked out, and it’s a good…

Miranda knew before her baby arrived that he would need help. At the 20-week mark, an ultrasound showed an abnormality around the spine – it was a type of spina bifida called mylomelingocele. Spina bifida happens early in the womb when the spine and spinal cord do not develop properly. In many cases, the spinal cord…

It was around Valentine’s Day last year that Matt and Dianne noticed a change in their four-year-old son, James. He had a fever and cough, which soon led to lethargy. They would learn that James was dealing with Group A Streptococcal pneumonia, a dangerous and potentially deadly infection that would turn their lives upside down….

On a Tuesday at breakfast — that’s when everything changed. Cathy and Andrew’s three-year-old son, Wyatt, was sitting at the table, fine one minute and experiencing what looked like a stroke the next. He vomited out of the blue, his left side seemed to be compromised and then he became completely non-verbal. “He could hear…

Anika and her mom Lydia know firsthand how exceptional the care is at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Anika has benefitted from it first-hand after spending more than a month in hospital being treated for complicated pneumonia. In December, Anika was spending time with her grandma when she started coughing up blood and having trouble breathing….

Savannah was born with capillary malformations, also known as port wine birthmarks covering 75-80% of her body. Port wine birthmarks are discoloration of the skin caused by swollen blood vessels. Savannah was referred to the Alberta Children’s Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a rare condition called Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS), which is a broad term for a group of rare neurological…

Bradley was so excited to start her first day of Kindergarten. On her second day of school though, she started feeling unwell. She wouldn’t eat and had an upset tummy and running to the bathroom frequently. By the weekend, she couldn’t keep a sip of water down and was in severe pain. Though her little…

At 13, Dawson has spent more time in hospital than many will over a lifetime. Dawson lives with Angelman syndrome, a complex genetic disorder that primarily affects the nervous system and causes a range of problems, including speech and mobility impairment, issues with balance, developmental delays and often seizures. He has been a frequent flier at…

The cardiology team at the Alberta Children’s Hospital has been caring for Xander since before he was even born. When his parents, Jon and Catherine, learned during the pregnancy that it appeared their son would be born with a heart condition, they were introduced to pediatric cardiologist, Dr. Deborah Fruitman. Though Jon says that chapter…

Skylar is full of joy and light, giving hugs to everyone she meets. She loves horses, going to school, and watching her favourite shows Heartland and Bones. Her family is grateful for her every day because when she came into this world, they didn’t know if she would survive. When Skylar was born, mom Jordanne…