Just 4 Kids Spring 2022

SPRING 2022

100 Years of Hope + Healing May 19, 2022: An incredible milestone for the Alberta Children’s Hospital

JUST 4 KIDS – SPRING 2022

Making history together

JUST 4 KIDS – SPRING 2022

This year, the Alberta Children’s Hospital turns 100 years old! It’s a huge milestone – an opportunity to celebrate a tremendous history of caring for children and families, made possible by our incredibly generous community.

From the start, the hospital set out to provide the very best care possible for children. First located in what was originally a three-storey duplex in southwest Calgary, the hospital moved to a second building in lower Mount Royal seven years later. In 1952, children began receiving care at the third facility on Richmond Road. Then, with more than $50 million in donations from the public, the current state-of-the-art “Lego” hospital opened in 2006 in the city’s northwest.

“Our hospital’s legacy has been built by generations of people who really looked at and responded to what children needed,” says Margaret Fullerton, Senior Operating

1922-1929

1929-1952

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1982-2006

Officer of the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

“With technology, education, research and the development of more healthcare professions, the hospital grew and developed into the amazing place that it is today.”

Share your story The hospital has provided nation-leading care for kids for decades. For example, back in the 1950s during the polio epidemic, children travelled from across the country for leading-edge treatments only available in Calgary. That innovation continues today.

Meet Madden

Danielle and Pat Garraway know firsthand how community funding has helped advance care and research for children. Forty-two years ago, Danielle’s brother became very ill and passed away before his first birthday.

No one knew exactly why. Then, years later, when Danielle gave birth to their son, Madden, he began experiencing symptoms eerily similar to his uncle.

Were you cared for in one of these four special buildings?

Did you work in one of them?

We want to hear the stories of hope + healing from years past, which helped bring us to the bright, colourful building on the hill we all know today.

Send your memories to mystory@achf.com.

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Baby Madden was plagued with chronic diarrhea, severe blistering all over his body and was failing to thrive. Conventional tests were unable to provide a diagnosis. Then, when he was two, Madden was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit, unable to fight off a common virus.

As his condition became life-threatening, his doctors enrolled him in a special study to sequence his DNA. Using state-of-the-art technology, they had an answer in just five days.

Madden had IPEX syndrome, a rare immune disorder that is usually fatal in children if not diagnosed rapidly. With Madden’s sister Everleigh as a perfect bone marrow transplant (BMT) match, specialists were able to transplant a new immune system into his body.

Today, Madden is 100% cured!

Both the DNA sequencing technology and advancements in the BMT program were supported generously by community donations. “We are beyond thankful to have this technology and this level of expertise right in our own backyard,” says Danielle. “Without those doctors and researchers and the community that gave back to the hospital, we wouldn’t have a son.”

“We wouldn’t be anywhere near where we are without the level of support we receive from the community,” says Dr. Francois Bernier, head of medical genetics at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. “Philanthropy is the engine of innovation and discovery for children’s hospitals and that generosity is transforming care for thousands of kids like Madden.”

“Throughout the hospital’s history, our progress has been driven by two constants: love from our community and incredibly dedicated child health professionals,” says Margaret Fullerton. “With those two things on our side, the next 100 years will be exciting.”

Our new Champion Child

Join the celebration!

Throughout the year, a special art piece commemorating the 100-year milestone will travel to locations around the city to raise awareness and spark pride in the amazing legacy of specialized child health care and research in our community.

When you see the sculpture, we encourage you to take a picture or selfie with it and share your own story of hope and healing on social.

Tag us using the hashtag #ACH100.

And please consider marking this milestone with a special donation in support of the Next 100 years.

@ACHFKids

Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation

We are thrilled to announce Madden Garraway as this year’s Champion Child ambassador for the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Thanks to community support for the life-saving care he received, seven-year-old Madden is healthy, curious, funny and full of energy – perfect for playing his favourite sport in the world, hockey.

Photo Above Margaret Fullerton, Senior Operating Officer of the Alberta Children’s Hospital, welcomes the ACH100 sculpture to the main gathering space at the hospital.

JUST 4 KIDS – SPRING 2022

Inspiring lives, inspiring legacy As a young woman, having just graduated as a registered nurse, Diane Bechthold secured a job at the Vancouver General Hospital. She was assigned to the ward where chronically-ill children were cared for and it changed her life forever. Only a few months after she started, she lost her first patient. “At the time, you were expected to be ‘professional’ and stoic; not show any emotion,” she says. “I just didn’t understand how that was possible – I hid in the service room where I was able to be alone and sobbed! It was heart-wrenching.”

Diane says she’s grateful nursing has come a long way since then, and so has the technology, programming and care available to the children and families she once would have looked after. She and her husband, Larry, raised three children and now have eight grandchildren. Though none of them faced any serious illnesses, Larry and Diane became well acquainted with the Alberta Children’s Hospital, as the kids were in and out with minor issues over the years. Having experienced the level of care and expertise available there, it got them thinking about what the hospital must mean for families facing more difficult journeys. They wanted to help, and for as long as they could.

meaningful to Larry and Diane, who were both born and raised in Calgary and have always been active in and committed to giving back to their community.

The Bechtholds decided to leave a legacy gift to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation in their Will. Specifically, their gift will support families who rely on Rotary Flames House and the special people who provide them with pediatric respite and end-of-life care. Knowing their future gift will benefit generations of people to come is incredibly

“We both consider our financial support of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation as the most pragmatic and valuable investment we could make to extend our legacy of caring,” says Diane. “This gift will keep going and going. It’s a way we can continue to give back to our community, even beyond our lifetimes.”

Your legacy begins today

To celebrate 100 Years of Hope + Healing, there is an unprecedented opportunity for those leaving a gift in their Wills to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. During the Legacy Challenge, 25 percent of each Bequest will be matched, up to $250,000 per gift. The matched dollars will be directed to a current funding area of your choice so you can: 1. see your gift at work during your lifetime and 2. know your future commitment will have a positive impact for generations to come.

For more information or to join the Legacy Challenge, visit childrenshospital.ab.ca/legacychallenge.

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Thanks to stretches of milder winter weather, construction is moving ahead smoothly on the new Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health, set to open this fall in the northwest community of Hounsfield Heights.

Youth and family advisors continue to help shape interior design work and furniture choices to ensure everything looks and feels warm and welcoming. They’re also providing input on the Centre’s new name, which is expected to be finalized this summer.

Top Left View of second-floor healing garden patio Top Right Wood accents bring warmth throughout the building, third-floor windows will offer stunning skyline views

Bottom Left Staircase installed from second-floor community treatment services to third-floor Day Hospital Bottom Right West view of main entrance

JUST 4 KIDS – SPRING 2022

Beyond the build: New e-Mental Health program launching across Alberta Recognizing that young people need a broad range of mental health services, generous donors to the Build Them Up campaign are also supporting important initiatives that extend beyond the walls of the Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health and beyond the boundaries of our city limits. The latest of these is a new e-Mental Health (e-MH) program being piloted in 10 communities across the province to provide easily-accessible assessment, monitoring, treatment and management of the symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The platform has the ability to: facilitate early detection and evaluation of mental health concerns provide ongoing measurement of patient outcomes inform direction toward trusted local resources and other online tools “The strength of this tool is that it allows young people to share important information about their mental health that can be easily accessed by multiple service providers to better personalize their care,” says Jason Gondziola, Senior Project Manager of the e-Mental Health initiative.

Conducted in partnership with the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services, the pilot is being funded by support from our community, Alberta Health and Alberta Innovates. It uses a platform designed in Australia called Innowell, a rigorously-tested, personalized and evidence-based e-MH program to help promote healthy choices that lead to a better sense of well-being and equip youth with the tools to strengthen resiliency. Since this generation of young people has grown up with regular access to the Internet through their phones and computers, this new online platform is designed to offer them support in a way that feels comfortable and familiar.

To date, the e-MH pilot has rolled out in three southern Alberta regions: Airdrie, Foothills, and Tsuut’ina First Nation. This summer, Siksika First Nation and Lethbridge will join as well. It is hoped that young people who are known to face barriers when they need care, including LGBTQ2S+ and Indigenous youth, will benefit from the easy access of e-MH support.

The strength of this tool is that it allows young people to share important information about their mental health that can be easily accessed by multiple service providers to better personalize their care.”

– Jason Gondziola, Senior Project Manager

May 28 | Arts Commons Jack Singer Concert Hall CRESCENDO is back! Join us for an unforgettable evening of high-energy pop and rock hits combined with powerful storytelling in support of youth mental health!

childrenshospital.ab.ca/crescendo

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Finding new cures for kids like Reese We were in complete shock, and we were scared, but we knew these people were going to get her – and us – through this.”

– Natalie, Reese’s Mom

When Natalie Hassett packed a diaper bag for a trip to the pediatrician to check out a mysterious rash on her daughter Reese’s tummy, she never thought it would be nine months before they returned home again.

She and Reese, then 18 months old, left their ranch in Saskatchewan for what they thought would be a day in Medicine Hat, visiting the doctor, then running errands.

Instead, her diligent pediatrician sent Reese for bloodwork and later, she was admitted to the Medicine Hat hospital.

Within 48 hours, Reese and her family were at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, meeting with oncologists.

Nearly 70 times a year at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, a family is told their child has cancer. For Reese, it turned out to be a very rare form of leukemia.

To save her life, Reese would need aggressive chemotherapy followed by a stem cell transplant. Thanks to generous community support, the Alberta Children’s Hospital has nationally-recognized expertise in bone marrow and stem

JUST 4 KIDS – SPRING 2022

cell transplantation. “We were in complete shock, and we were scared, but we knew these people were going to get her – and us – through this,” Natalie says.

The chemotherapy was tough on Reese’s little body. She became even sicker, lost weight, and lost her hair. The final round was so harsh on her system, she developed a serious lung infection that landed her in the pediatric intensive care unit with a ventilator to help her breathe.

“It broke our hearts seeing our little girl so sick from this toxic substance meant to save her life,” Natalie says. “We just had to accept that with cancer treatment comes side effects, and we will deal with them later – just please give us later.”

Thankfully, Reese recovered from the infection and with healthy cells donated from her dad, Justin, she was able to have her life-saving stem cell transplant. After nine months away from home, the grateful family returned to Saskatchewan that summer.

However, less than a year after going home with her cancer in remission, Reese has returned to the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

Her cancer is back, and she has started treatment once again. Despite this setback on her journey, her family has hope because they know they won’t be alone – they know their team of specialists at the Alberta Children’s Hospital will be with them each step of the way.

“And whatever happens down the road, I know Reese can get through anything because she is the strongest girl I know,” Natalie says.

While 70 percent of children with cancer will survive thanks to standard therapies, most will experience lasting side effects.

Sadly, 30 percent of children will not respond to treatment at all.

Fortunately, scientists at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute are dedicated to improving outcomes for these children by discovering new cures and minimizing the side effects of current treatments.

“Before Reese was diagnosed, I didn’t even know what ‘oncology’ meant,” Natalie says.

“I hope by people supporting this world-class hospital, and the brilliant minds finding new cures and treatments for children like her, that one day, no parent or child will ever have to know the meaning of that word again.”

How you can help You can help our researchers find gentler cancer therapies and cures for children like Reese. Please visit childrenshospital.ab.ca/hope or use the enclosed, prepaid return envelope to mail in your support.

CHILDRENSHOSPITAL.AB.CA

The Country 105 Caring for Kids Radiothon

It was a little bit country ... and a whole lotta love letters!

It’s been more than two years since our world flipped upside down because of COVID-19. Everyone has been impacted in some way; everyone has been challenged. The days have been long and the stress levels high. However, one thing that has remained steady is the dedication, strength and love of the incredible frontline staff at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. We are honoured to support the hospital and the special people who work there and we are thankful for all they do every day, especially during this pandemic.

JUST 4 KIDS – SPRING 2022

Our community’s gratitude for the doctors, nurses and specialists at the hospital was a strong theme throughout this year’s Country 105 Caring for Kids Radiothon, and together we raised more than $2.2 million. Throughout the broadcast, we heard letters from children in our community wanting to express their thanks to the hospital’s experts. We are pleased to share a few excerpts of those notes. From all of us at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, THANK YOU.

Skating into the history books …

AGAIN! Photos courtesy of Photos with Finesse

After 11 days, players in the Hockey Marathon for the Kids scored the only goal that truly mattered to them – raising significant funds for childhood cancer research while setting a new record for the world’s longest hockey game.

Following the success of their two previous record-breaking games in 2012 and 2014, 40 players hit the ice on March 31 at the Chestermere Recreation Centre for a third installment of the Hockey Marathon for the Kids to reclaim their Guinness World Record. When they weren’t alternating breaks to eat, sleep, and receive physio and massage therapy, Team Hope and Team Cure players spent up to 18 hours a day on the ice – four hours at a time.

At 5 pm on April 11, bruised, blistered, and some injured, they skated into the Guinness World Records again, completing more than 261 consecutive hours of play and raising nearly $900,000 to support research into new treatments and cures for children with cancer.

“We were tired and sore, but what our bodies went through in that arena, I’d do it ten times over for what a child goes through battling cancer,” says Alex Halat, Hockey Marathon for the Kids founder and captain of Team Hope. “We wish kids didn’t get cancer, but they do, and they need us, and if we can help save the life of a child, that’s the goal we care about.”

Funds raised through this year’s game support research at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute into immunotherapy, which harnesses a child’s own immune system to fight their cancer. The aim of this research is to create gentler, more effective treatments that minimize the adverse side effects of current therapies.

“We are forever grateful and in awe of what these players have accomplished yet again,” says Saifa Koonar, President & CEO of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. “We thank them for their commitment, for the sacrifices they and their families have made, and for playing with such heart.

Their efforts will help children at the Alberta Children’s Hospital today, and for years to come.”

Over the past three games, Hockey Marathon for the Kids players have raised nearly $4 million for the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.

CHILDRENSHOSPITAL.AB.CA

Presented by

Support community fundraising events!

Many of our beloved fundraising events will be back live and in-person this year! We are looking forward to reconnecting face-to-face as we support children and families together.

Check out what’s coming up.

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Return undeliverable Canadian address to: 28 Oki Drive NW Calgary, AB T3B 6A8

Life Cycle Gear up for a brand new, province-wide virtual cycling event in support of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation! Register now and join us!

CHILDRENSHOSPITAL.AB.CA/LIFECYCLE