Vol. 134
A LOOK INSIDE Clement enjoyed productive tour through Essex County PagE 3 ________________ Workshop introduces potentials to adventure races PagE 5 ________________
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Issue No. 8
One year anniversary for young heart transplant recipient
OPP hockey team faces hockey greats in annual fundraising game PagE 9 ________________ Model train show big hit PagE 10 ________________ Essex County Library earns top award PagE 12 ________________ Essex 73Õ s advance to league final series PagE 20 ________________
Looking For A Good Home
“Rick”
See Page 7 for adoption info.
by Sylene Argent The family of two-year old Woodslee resident Grace Nightingale is preparing to celebrate the one-year anniversary of her heart transplant. In doing so, the family is also spreading awareness about the organ donation registry and that February is Heart Month. Grace just turned two in December, but the past year has been trying. (Pictured above) Her parents, Lacey and Matt, explained that on January 5 of last year they noticed their
daughter was not feeling well. Lacey took her daughter to the doctors and was told she had a cold. Later that night, Lacey took her then 12-month old to the ER at Met hospital. From there she was rushed to Sick Kids Hospital in London as it was believed she could possibly have a virus and the London facility had equipment that would better aid the situation. While in London, GraceÕ s heart stopped. She was quickly flown to Sick Kids hospital in Toronto via helicopter. In Toronto, Grace was hooked up
to a Berlin external heart valve, which helps pump blood. Grace would eventually have a stroke, but ten days later became the recipient of a lifesaving heart on April 14, 2013. It was discovered that Grace had Dilated Cardiomyopathy, the enlargement of the left side of the heart. This was a shock to the family as neither side has a history of heart complications. Family and friends stepped up to help Matt and Lacey go through this ordeal. The couple has a daughter named Lilly who
is a year older than Grace. Around the same time as GraceÕ s stroke, Lacey gave birth to her third daughter, Elizabeth. The Woodslee family was able to stay at LaceyÕ s sisterÕ s home in Toronto until Elizabeth was born. At that point, the young family moved into the Ronald McDonald House. A month-and-a-half after the surgery, the family was able to move back to Woodslee. Going through the ordeal was also tough on GraceÕ s older sister Lilly, who missed her baby sister while she was in hospital. Lilly couldnÕ t see her sister every day, and she is happy to have her back home now. GraceÕ s Meme, Kim Renaud, noted Grace is believed to be the only child currently in the Windsor/Essex County area to have had a heart transplant, and was one of 12 pediatric heart transplants done last year at Sick Kids in Toronto. Things had mostly gone well for Grace since the heart transplant, Kim said, up until around October. When flu and cold season began, the youngster has had to battle illness as her condition makes her more susceptible to contracting colds and flu viruses. The stroke Grace endured has made her a little weaker on the left side of her body, so she still goes to physiotherapy once a week. Lacey said her daughter is finally getting back to where she was before having to go to
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