Lucille Lagana

A snippet of Amelia’s Journey

There are some people who change your heart forever. For me, that person is my beautiful niece, Amelia.

If you’ve ever met Amelia, you know she is pure sunshine. She is strong, fearless, funny, sweet, wonderfully goofy, obsessed with princesses, loves dressing up, and has a heart full of love for every animal she meets. She has a way of making everyone around her smile.

What many people don’t know is that Amelia has been fighting for her life since before she was even born.

While still in the womb, Amelia was diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), meaning the left side of her heart never fully developed. Before she even entered the world, her family learned she would need three open-heart surgeries just to survive.

At only three days old, Amelia underwent her first open-heart surgery at SickKids. It was the beginning of a journey that included months in the hospital, complications that affected her breathing and feeding, a minor stroke, unexplained medical emergencies, two more open-heart surgeries, and additional life-threatening complications. Even during a month-long hospitalization far from home, SickKids remained by her side, working closely with her medical team and supporting her family every step of the way.

Through every challenge, Amelia has shown incredible courage.

She is now four years old, and despite everything she has endured, she continues to fill every room with laughter, imagination, and joy. Watching her race through the hospital in her little blue push car, insisting on exploring every floor, playing in the playroom, making slime, and finding reasons to smile reminded us all that children have an extraordinary ability to find hope, even in the hardest moments.

Without SickKids—and the remarkable cardiology team who never gave up on her—Amelia would not be here today.

This year, we are riding for Amelia.

We are riding to honour her strength, to celebrate how far she has come, and to help ensure that other children and families facing unimaginable challenges receive the same world-class care, compassion, and hope that Amelia received.

If you’re able, we would be deeply grateful for your support. Every donation, no matter the amount, helps SickKids continue changing—and saving—the lives of children like Amelia.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping me ride for my incredible niece.