The Hospital for Sick Children

Andrew Wallace - Staff Photographer

Over two weeks in May I had an opportunity to meet some very strong and resilient people through The Hospital for Sick Children.

Some relieved that a simple kitchen mishap won't leave a lasting record of the accident.

Others, while taking pleasure in the simple joy of watching their young family grow, remain hopeful a future scientific breakthrough is not far away.

The doctors, nurses, researchers, and support staff at SickKids strive to keeping our children healthy and happy. 

Two year-olds Taylor, Cole and Brody Florence play with soap bubbles in their Toronto home. The are triplets were born 15 weeks prematurely and at 10 months-old, were each diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, a class of brain injury from birth that has no known cure. Their parents, Dana and Jared, decided to turn this potentially devastating situation into one of hope and empowerment. They started an organization called Three to Be to raise research funds for children living with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders

Dad Jared Florence, holds take two year-old Cole during a Saturday morning swim session in the therapy pool at Bloorview Kids Rehab in Toronto. The swim session is called Snoezelen, taken from two Dutch words: snufflen meaning to seek out or to explore and doezelen meaning to relax or to be in a wonderful place. Snoezelen originated in the Netherlands nearly thirty five years ago as a leisure experience for adults with severe disabilities. 

Baby Jared Hill in his room at  SickKids. Jared was born prematurely at 27 weeks. Jared required a liver transplant in mid-January, spending some days critically ill in the Intensive Care Unit.  

Mother Michelle Goldman holds baby Blake prior to his eye examination at SicksKids ophthalmology department. Premature infants face multiple complex challenges, including permanent blindness called Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), usually caused by the oxygen therapy they receive due to the immaturity of their lungs at delivery. Their retinas are at risk of detachment due to scarred tissue that develops from the oxygen therapy. SickKids has recently received new technology that lets doctors identify babies at risk of retinal damage and initiate surgical repair in a more timely fashion.  

Mother Regina and dad Peter Martin ready their seven month-old son Richard for a bath as part of his secon degree burn treament at their Etobicoke home. Richard was burned when, while in his high chair and his mother Regina cleaning his tray, pulled at a table cloth, spilling a  hot bowl chicken noodle soup on him. 

 Dana Wagler, 12, blows bubbles at her family's farm in Milverton. Dana recently required a bone marrow transplant from her sister. 

-awallace@thestar.ca

Comments

[Lauren]

These photos are tender and humbling.
Great job.

[Pavel]

Very touching photos. They really make you feel like a participant.
Thank you for sharing these photos.

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How these kids suffered?.