Braden Thompson and his family are looking forward to the completion of the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, which is expected to happen next year.
They’ll be visiting the hospital a few times a year so that Braden can receive treatment for cystic fibrosis (CF). Braden was diagnosed with the disease in 2013, when he was five years old.
Now the family is doing what they can to support fundraising for the children’s hospital, with Braden, an 11-year-old Carnduff resident, serving as a child ambassador for the hospital’s foundation.
Braden was selected to be a child ambassador while receiving treatment for CF at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.
“Sometimes during our treatment stays, they do activities in the playroom with the hospital foundation, and that’s where we actually got introduced by some of the staff members from the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation,” said his mother, Kelly Thompson.
Through them, and his recreation therapist, they were asked if Braden would like to be a child ambassador. Knowing what the new children’s hospital foundation could do for the Thompson family, and knowing that they would spend time at the hospital once it opened, they said yes.
“They have been amazing to work with,” she said. “He has had some pretty awesome experiences, and he does well, talking with the others and asking about the hospital.”
It’s been a little more than a year since Braden became an ambassador. He has been more than willing to participate in any functions that have been asked of him, at least when he is available, since his family is in Carnduff, about five hours away from Saskatoon.
“It does require some travel, which they are very understanding of, so they have been very good to deal with,” she said.
If there is a fundraiser or another function for the hospital foundation, they like to have an ambassador or two for the face of it.
“It’s always good to have a representative there, and I feel he does a good job, and they must, too, because he’s done a fair number of tasks for them,” Kelly said.
He has appeared at Saskatoon Rush lacrosse and Saskatoon Blades hockey games. He was a radio voice for the hospital foundation in January, and has participated in the radiothon in Regina, answering phones and participating in interviews.
“He loves it,” his mom said.
Kelly said it was tough to share their story at first, but the more they live with CF, and the more they see the changes in Braden, it has become easier.
“It’s actually been very good to help bring awareness to cystic fibrosis, because you don’t hear a lot about it,” said Kelly. “It’s not something that’s at the forefront as much anymore.”
So if they can advocate for it, and bring forward some information and make it known that research is being done and hopefully a cure can be found for it, then that would be a positive step.
“It’s up to us as parents and family members and the ambassador program, and with the children to advocate for that, to make it known to the public that this does exist,” said Kelly.
According to information from the Children’s Hospital Foundation, Braden’s treatment involves lung exercises twice a day, inhalers twice a day, special vitamins and enzymes to slow his body systems down so he can absorb nutrients. He regularly takes antibiotics and has a daily regime of medicine on top of being tube-fed throughout the night in order to gain weight and get the extra nutrition he needs.
But he is an active kid who plays hockey and baseball, and is currently active in 4-H. He also enjoys water sports and hunting.
That’s part of the message that his family has for people: CF doesn’t stop him or limit him.
Kelly said the new children’s hospital will make a big difference. It will bring a lot of specialists to the province, and it will be more family and child-centred than what currently exists in Saskatchewan. That’s not to say the current pediatric care isn’t good, because it is, she said, but it will be nice to have a place where the kids have treatment that is focused on children.
“We’ve been watching it grow and grow, and being built right from the ground up, every time we go up to Saskatoon when he gets admitted,” said Kelly. “It’s getting more exciting, and it’s a phenomenal task, and they’ve been doing a great job. It looks amazing already. I can just imagine what the inside will look like if the outside is looking as good as it is.”
They will also benefit from the private rooms since he is vulnerable to the exposure of bacteria and viruses.
It will also be nice not to have to travel outside the province.
“Hopefully we can keep as many of our Saskatchewan residents that use it within the province, and having the children’s hospital here, hopefully we’ll be able to recruit and retain many different doctors in different scopes and have them stay and have their specialties here for our kids in the province.”
Once the hospital is complete, they will go every three months, unless something unexpected happens, and then it’s just a phone call to Saskatoon. If they can receive treatment at home first, that would be preferred, but there are things they need to do in Saskatoon.
