I'm Fundraising in Support of SickKids!
SickKids holds such a special place in our hearts. 💙
Our youngest son, Itai, was born with some challenges and has been a patient at The Hospital for Sick Children for some time now.
As a baby and young toddler, Itai was slower to achieve his gross motor milestones and was diagnosed with hypotonia as an infant. He struggled with many things, including feeding, rolling over, crawling, sitting up without assistance, speech, and weight bearing on his legs.
He was a late walker, and with lots of physical therapy and the help of bilateral AFOs for support and stability, he finally took those first steps at almost 19 months. His therapists and those little braces have truly been heaven sent.
Itai also has asymmetry throughout his body, with a strong preference for his right side and noticeable weakness on his left. Last December, after I mentioned that he seemed to walk with a bit of a limp, his pediatrician discovered a discrepancy in the length and width of his legs. This prompted a quick assessment and imaging at The Hospital for Sick Children, and he received another diagnosis: hemihyperplasia. We were also referred to a geneticist for further investigation, who ordered additional genetic testing and arranged for routine bloodwork and imaging at SickKids.
Every three months, Itai returns to SickKids for bloodwork and an abdominal ultrasound to monitor for any signs of cancer or tumours, as hemihyperplasia can increase the risk of developing certain childhood cancers.
Through it all, he has been the absolute best little patient. He simply lies there while he’s poked, prodded, and examined. This is the life he has become accustomed to. Appointments, tests, specialists, therapies, and procedures are simply part of his little world.
It makes my mama heart hurt to watch him go through so much at such a young age, but I am also incredibly proud of how far he has come. 🥹
His neurologist referred him to SickKids for a brain MRI, which took place this past August. The anesthesiologist told us he was the best two year old she had ever met. He simply lay there, completely still, as she put him to sleep.
Itai is still very much a puzzle piece. His specialists are continuing to search for answers as to why he presents the way he does. There is a possibility that he may have a mild form of cerebral palsy, but in the meantime, we are patiently (and anxiously) waiting for the results of his genetic testing in hopes of gaining some clarity.
Despite it all, and despite getting easily fatigued, Itai is a very busy toddler who loves to paint, visit the library, and play at the park. He does a pretty great job keeping up with his three older brothers, too!
Another reason SickKids holds such a special place in our hearts is because last summer, one of our other boys, Ezra, became very ill with appendicitis and was transferred from our local hospital to The Hospital for Sick Children for surgery.
Unfortunately, by the time he made it into surgery, his appendix had already perforated in two different spots, making the surgery and recovery more complicated. Two days post op, he also began showing signs of infection. His SickKids team immediately sprang into action and provided the care and treatment he needed.
Although our stay was a little longer than expected, he was in the best hands. Throughout our time there, we were continually reminded of the incredible care, compassion, and dedication of the people who work at SickKids. They even introduced us to some of the wonderful programs and activities available to help make hospital stays a little brighter and more enjoyable for children.
And finally, we can’t forget the years, Levi, spent being followed by the ENT clinic due to an airway disorder he was born with. Thankfully, he eventually grew out of it and is doing well today.
As Itai approaches his third birthday, we wanted to do something meaningful to celebrate him and give back to a place that has given so much to our family.
SickKids is a place where children are cared for by incredible, compassionate people who go above and beyond. A place that helps make some of our hardest days feel a little lighter. A place that gives us comfort, support, and hope when we need it most.
Despite the challenges our family has faced and continues to face, we feel incredibly fortunate to have access to such extraordinary care. For that, we will be eternally grateful.
SickKids has been there for our boys in ways we will forever be grateful for, and we would love to help support the incredible work they do for so many children and families. 💙
For Itai’s third birthday, our wish is to give back to the place that has given our family so much.
If you’re able, we would be so grateful for your support. Every contribution, big or small, means so much to us.
Thank you for helping us celebrate Itai by giving back. 💙
Why I’m Fundraising
I’m fundraising for SickKids to help them:
DIAGNOSE FASTER
For worried families, this means getting a quicker answer to the question, “What’s wrong?”
TREAT SMARTER
Treating underlying causes, not just symptoms, while reducing side effects and relapses so kids can get better, sooner.
PREDICT BETTER
Seeing illness coming more clearly, while there’s still time to prevent it or reduce its severity.
Thank you so much for your kindness, generosity, and support! 💙
