Latest news with #BCChildrensHospital
CTV News
30-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
B.C. dad credits ‘child life specialists' for reducing trauma of son's cancer treatment
A Vancouver Island dad is praising a group of health-care professionals for protecting his child from some of the trauma associated with cancer. A Vancouver Island father is praising a group of health-care professionals for protecting his child from some of the trauma tied to a cancer diagnosis. Four-year-old Eli Lewis was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia in December. Since then, he has endured chemotherapy, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant. 'Eli kind of saw the hospital as the thing that was causing him harm, which we all know wasn't true,' said his father, James Lewis. The Lewis family lives in Black Creek near Campbell River. They've spent the past 162 days at B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver, where Lewis estimates they've encountered more than 100 health-care professionals. Eli is quite taken with one group of hospital workers in particular. 'Even on those days where Eli was really sick in bed and unable to move, having the child life specialist come in and make a baking soda volcano — that would boost his spirits,' Lewis said. B.C. Children's Hospital employs dozens of child life specialists, who help sick kids cope with the stress of hospitalization. They play with young patients and explain complex medical procedures in child friendly ways. 'It is … a relatively newer field,' said B.C. Children's Hospital child life specialist Ashley Tolerton. 'With that awareness, hopefully, will come the opportunity for there to be more child life specialists within more hospitals across B.C. to better support our patients and families in their local communities.' Child life specialists are clinically trained. They must get certified and complete a 600-hour internship after obtaining a bachelor's degree, Tolerton said. 'I'd love to play!' The team talked Eli through his fear of anesthetic, Lewis said 'He would talk about how he didn't like the darkness,' Lewis said. 'Having professionals around to help Eli … come to terms with this and talk about fears and being able to approach him in a constructive manner was really, really nice.' They also helped Eli get comfortable with a port that was put in his chest to administer medication. 'He really had body image issues after that. He didn't like anybody looking at it,' Lewis said. 'They had dolls where they could show Eli and myself and Eli's mom what this is, how the port goes in, how it works, and how it looks.' As the family prepares to leave the hospital on Friday, Tolerton remembers how fearful Eli was when he first got there. 'Now we're at the point where Eli comes and knocks on my door and he peeks his head in … and he goes, 'Ashley?' And he's like, 'I'd love to play!'' she said. Lewis expects his son to make a full recovery. He knows Eli isn't leaving mentally or physically unscathed, but credits the child life team for limiting the hurt his child will carry. 'It really did help us through this to the point where Eli, he's probably going to walk out of the hospital tomorrow and he has nothing but good things to say,' Lewis said. He hopes donors continue to support the program, so more children can experience the care Eli received.
CTV News
25-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Safety tips for kids this summer from B.C. health-care professionals
With hot and sunny weather upon us, BC Children's hospital and BC Emergency Health Services are reminding parents how they can keep their little ones safe. While many will crack open windows to try and keep their homes cooler, parents are being asked to proceed with caution. According to the hospital, 15 kids were brought to the emergency room last year after falling from a window or balcony. 'No parent or carer ever expects their child to be a victim of an injury related to warm weather, which are often devastating for everyone involved', said Christy Hay, executive director, clinical operations at BC Children's Hospital. 'This is why we encourage families to be aware and take proactive action near windows, balconies and bodies of water. Never underestimate a child's mobility,' she said. Parents are advised to move furniture, planters or anything that could be climbed on away from windows, and to consider buying window locks – even if they already have screens in place. 'If you look at screens, they're really good at keeping the bugs on the outside, but they're not good at keeping kids on the inside,' said Brian Twaites with BC EHS. When it comes to going outside, Twaites says the usual staples like hydration, proper sunscreen and even UV protective clothing are very important. Twaites says when taking your kids to a pool or any body of water, its crucial to make sure floatation devices like lifejackets or water wings fit properly, never assume your child knows how to swim, and always keep an eye on them. 'Parents, we want to make sure you're in arms length of children near water at all times, that touch coverage that you're always beside them in the water is really important,' he said.
CBC
22-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Whitehorse teen marks 10 year seizure-free — thanks to her diet, says mother
Fourteen-year-old Jade Pealow celebrated a major milestone this week in Whitehorse: ten years seizure-free. Jade has epilepsy, and her mom, Fawn Fritzen, credits a strict ketogenic diet when Jade was younger for helping reach this milestone. Jade was only two years old when she started having seizures but she doesn't remember them. But Fritzen remembers them well. "Besides watching your child suffer, which is awful for any parent, the worst part of it was the not knowing — not knowing if we were going to be able to help, if we were going to find something that was going to heal her brain," Fritzen recalled. "Because she went from a real typical toddler to being completely incapacitated." Frtizen says Jade would have seizures often, sometimes injuring herself. Fritzen said medications would make her daughter slow and foggy. "It was devastating to watch her go from this bright, energetic fun-loving kid, to a child we had to keep in a playpen a lot of the time, just to keep her safe," Fritzen said. The family then consulted with their doctor and decided to try the ketogenic diet. It's a high-fat, carbohydrate-controlled protein diet. According to the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance, it is one of the oldest forms of medical treatment for epilepsy. 5 years on strict diet Jade's family worked with the neurology team at BC Children's Hospital to guide her diet. Jade remained on the ketogenic diet for five years before transitioning to a more "normal" diet in 2014. "A typical meal would look like a tiny plate of food, because the calories are so concentrated — and most of it is fat, so she might get a tiny bit of chicken and that would be her protein," Fritzen recalls. "She would have a tablespoon of coconut oil." Sometimes Jade would have a small smoothie with almond milk or coconut milk with canola oil mixed in. She would also get a few raspberries or watermelon. "I remember a real heartbreaking moment where she asked me if she could have a banana. Bananas are very high in carbohydrates so I had to say no," Fritzen said. Jade was devastated. "When a child asks for a banana snack, that is such a reasonable request from a toddler." Fritzen said after a few months on the diet, it became her daughter's "new normal." Fritzen says Jade's dad Michael Pealow, plus friends and family, played a big part in helping Jade reach her latest milestone. "Now she is a sunny, loving, bright, and happy young person, full of fun, and unconcerned about her challenging past," Fritzen says, calling her daughter the "miracle girl." The next major milestone on the horizon will be in 2024, when Jade will have been off the strict ketogenic diet for 10 years. If she is still seizure-free at that point, Fritzen says her epilepsy will be considered medically "resolved," though she will always belong to a population considered to be at higher risk for seizures. Jade's favourite food now that she doesn't have to watch the carbs is spaghetti, and this week she celebrated with another high-carb favourite — cake.
