McMaster Children's Hospital Celebration 2009 was a great success, raising more than $5.9 million in support of our world-class children's hospital. Funds raised during this event and all year long are to support the world-class care, research and education happening at McMaster Children's Hospital every day.
Children and families from all over our region participated in this six hour event by sharing their courageous and life changing stories. Every year these stories amaze us with the strength of the human spirit and the capacity for caring at McMaster Children's Hospital.
Below are just a few of the many patients and families that were featured in this years Celebration telethon.
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Liam's story
Eight-year-old Liam was an otherwise healthy, happy boy last fall when doctors at McMaster Children's Hospital discovered a mass deep in the middle of his brain. Until it was removed, they couldn't tell if it was cancerous or not. The challenge - get in and remove it without damaging Liam's brain.
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Peyton's story
When Peyton was 10-years-old she fell head first out of a tree she was playing in.
She'd broken her forearm and three vertebrae in her back. Although the spinal cord itself was not severed, the trauma to her spine was very serious.
Surgery was the only way to prevent paralysis.
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Taylor's story
Hydronephrosis. Mitochondrial disease. Big words for anyone, but especially for a child. But ten-year-old Taylor DeCoste can pronounce them perfectly, because he lives with them every day.
One of Taylor's kidneys is enlarged and does not function properly. He gets a lot of kidney and bladder infections and severe back pain. The muscle disease affects his legs and fingers, and recently, his eyesight.
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Sarah's story
Like millions of young girls, Sarah loves horses. She rides every chance she gets, because when Sarah's in the saddle, she's just a girl who loves horses, not someone who struggles with a number of serious medical issues every day.
In her young life, the girl with the sparkling eyes and contagious smile has suffered 16 broken legs, countless blood transfusions and a few surgeries. Sarah and her family have been coming to McMaster Children's Hospital from their home in Guelph for seven years.
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