My Updates
Why SickKids Will Always Have a Special Place in My Heart
Monday 1st JunWhen people ask me why I am fundraising for SickKids through Regional Canada Pageants, the answer is simple:
Because SickKids helped change the course of my life—and later, the life of my son.
In 1983, I arrived in Canada from Portugal as a one-year-old child.
I was born with Oko-Hiro Syndrome, a rare congenital condition that affects the development of the upper limbs. At the time, there were very limited supports available to children with disabilities in Portugal. My family faced uncertainty about what my future would look like.
My mother often shared stories of how difficult those early years were. There were no specialists familiar with my condition, few resources, and limited opportunities for children living with disabilities. Social inclusion was not what it is today. As a young child, I was often separated from other children and treated differently because people simply didn’t know how to support me.
When we arrived in Canada, everything began to change.
Doctors at SickKids Hospital had never encountered my condition before, but instead of turning us away, they leaned in with curiosity, compassion, and a desire to help.
They asked my mother if they could study my condition and work alongside our family to better understand it. More importantly, they helped guide us through a healthcare system that offered possibilities we never imagined.
For the first time, my family felt hope.
SickKids connected us with specialists, resources, and opportunities that helped me grow, develop independence, and build confidence. They saw possibility where others had only seen limitations.
Eventually, with the support of family who sponsored us, we became proud Canadian citizens.
Canada gave me opportunities that changed my life.
Years later, life came full circle.
In 2016, my son Alessio was born.
Like me, Alessio was born with Oko-Hiro Syndrome.
However, he faced additional medical challenges that required immediate intervention.
Shortly after birth at Mount Sinai Hospital, Alessio underwent emergency surgery and was transferred through the underground pathway to SickKids Hospital for specialized care.
As a mother, those were some of the most frightening days of my life.
I sat beside his hospital bed, watched over him through countless medical appointments, and placed my trust in the incredible doctors, nurses, surgeons, and specialists who cared for him.
For several weeks, SickKids became our second home.
The same hospital that had helped me decades earlier was now helping my son.
The same institution that gave my family hope was once again changing the future of a child born with complex medical needs.
Today, Alessio is a bright, resilient, funny, and determined young boy who continues to thrive despite the challenges he has faced.
Every milestone he reaches is a reminder of the incredible care he received.
As I compete at Regional Canada Pageants, I have chosen to raise $1,000 for SickKids because I believe in giving back to the organization that has given so much to my family.
This fundraiser is more than a fundraising goal.
It is a thank you.
A thank you to the researchers who wanted to learn.
A thank you to the physicians who never gave up.
A thank you to the nurses who comforted frightened parents.
A thank you to the healthcare professionals who dedicate their lives to helping children receive the care they deserve.
Most importantly, it is a thank you for helping two generations of my family build lives filled with possibility.
If you would like to support my SickKids fundraiser, please consider making a donation through the link in my bio.
Every dollar helps ensure that other families receive the same hope, care, and opportunity that SickKids provided to mine.
From the bottom of my heart—thank you.
— Andreia Pacheco
Ms Elite Barrie 2026
Regional Canada Pageants
