From the Stratford stage to a hospital bed in the SickKids oncology unit: in summer 2007, 10-year-old Madison made quite the transition. As a young actress she tried to ignore her back pains and feelings of exhaustion until they became too much to bear. Doctors at SickKids confirmed she had leukemia. After countless rounds of chemotherapy over seven months, she finished her intense treatment plan last spring and once again is setting her sights on the stage.
Jonathan feels most comfortable at the hospital when dressed in his light-green scrubs. He goes to his appointments feeling a part of the team, not just a patient. Minutes after birth, Jonathan’s tiny heart made it crucial for him to be transported to SickKids. Jonathan suffers from hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition that caused the left side of his heart to be severely underdeveloped. He underwent his first open-heart surgery at three days old, his second at six months and third at five years old. Jonathan currently visits SickKids for regular checkups, always dressed like his hospital heroes.
Imagine leaving your life behind to seek adequate health care for your child. That’s what Boswa did for her daughter, Shatho. They travelled from Botswana to Toronto. SickKids surgeon Dr. Georges Azzie met little Shatho during one of his visits to Botswana. He knew she needed specialized treatment for her rare malformation. Through the Herbie Fund, Shatho was able to have her treatment. Her progress will be followed back in her home during Dr. Azzie’s followup visits.
