For Cpl Nathan Cirillo & WO patrice Vincent Family

The young boy in the video here, Joshua Cochrane of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, may appear as a familiar face and voice to those who have seen his charming smile on IWK Health Centre Foundation
posters and perhaps viewed his amazing performances during the Annual IWKTelethon for Children. The IWK is our HKBK;s home hospital, as it is for Joshua. For all the hundreds of shares on social media throughout the past days as our country mourns the loss of two more heroes, this is by far the most heart-warming, touching display of what it means to be a Canadian: to be proud, to be strong, to be free. Thank you, Josh, for your words and song as you've spoken for our country at large with your delightful voice. Please visit youtube.com to view this remarkable 8 year old's statement and singing
and share throughout your social media circles to help make Josh's hopes that Cpl Cirillo and WO Vincent's families and friends may indeed see this amazing tribute! ‪#‎Canadastrong #Wings4Josh

When A Child Is Sick...

One of my favourite telephone service features is "Caller ID". I'll openly admit I screen whether I pick up or let a call go to voice mail based on what number I see on my caller ID - especially if I am busy or simply not in the mood to talk on the phone. One of the most beneficial aspects of the feature, perhaps, is knowing when I really do need to pick up and answer a call. Such an occasion happened for me in early October.

Whenever I see the name and number of one of the schools my children attend on the display area, as a mom, I admit my heart flutters and my mind races with wonder of why their school is calling me. Most times it is nothing significant; perhaps I forgot to sign a permission form or send a payment for a field trip. It may be a teacher wanting to discuss a project or test. It could be they need volunteers to bake cupcakes. There are so many possibilities for why the school could be calling but the first worry I almost always have is, "Is my child OK?"

I answered as I usually would and on the other end was a female voice explaining to me that my daughter was feeling unwell. She had been walking a considerable distance in hot weather and became faint and dizzy, reporting her heart was racing and her eyes and head were hurting. The staff member informed me she was breathing heavily, shaking and appeared to her to be in need of help. I instructed the staff member to have my daughter taken to the nearby children's hospital emergency department and I would arrive as soon as I could. My daughter's principal and a friend took her to the ER and stayed with her until my mother and I arrived about thirty minutes later.

As a mom to a chronically ill child with many special needs, I'm very familiar with our local children's hospital emergency department. The waiting area was very crowded; much more than I have usually seen during my many trips there with my kids throughout the years. It appeared to me that many children waiting to be seen had likely been injured. It was unusually warm for early October and I anticipated many kids throughout our region were enjoying playing outdoors as the sun provided perhaps a final taste of summer. There were also several young children obviously struggling with colds or such. A nurse was making rounds with a pen and paper among the line up of non-urgent patients waiting to be seen by triage to compile a list of who to call in order of arrival.

I spoke with my daughter's school principal briefly before he left with my daughter's friend. My daughter had already been seen assessed by a triage nurse prior to my arrival. Recognizing one another from previous encounters, the nurse she pulled me aside to discuss my daughter's history and condition. Over the years, most parents I've spoken with in the emergency department waiting room will usually begin to show signs of irritation and distress as minutes pass towards an hour or more to wait to be seen. Being very familiar with the triage assessment of patients being given a 1, 2, 3 or 4 level based on how urgent it is for them to be seen by a physician, my heart sank a bit looking at my daughter's assessment sheet and seeing her listed as as level 1 triage.

Not matter what the illness or injury, seeing one's child in pain and distress is upsetting. It was difficult to see my daughter looking unwell - her eyes with a glazed appearance, her skin pale and clammy and seeming overall very fatigued as she tried her best to control her breathing with the use of a simple but effective brown paper bag. Once registered, we waited barely a few moments before we were called to go to a cubicle inside the emergency department. I could sense the glare of disgruntled parents and overheard one woman exclaim, "But they just got here!" In my mind, I was wishing we weren't there at all, let alone there under potentially serious circumstances.

 After a brief discussion with the third year resident, we were off to the Heart Center for an ECG (electrocardiogram) and as hours passed, several doctors examined my daughter and talked with talked with her about what had happened, how she was feeling, etc. A kind, gentle cardiology fellow arrived and soon after, her cardiologist came about 8 hours after she initially entered the ER. Hearing from a trusted doctor that I've known for a decade that she was alright was a huge relief. She was  encouraged to continue with her daily activities as usual and we had reviewed some management techniques she can use when she has episodes of tachycardia and palpitations. However, there was no clear answer for why she experienced the symptoms she had in the late morning hours. Tests didn't show any change in her heart function from her previous ECG and while I was thankful that her current ECG was good, it was disconcerting to leave with a big "WHY?" still looming overhead.

We were fortunate that after eight hours, she was feeling better and enjoying more than her share of free popsicles with a good blood pressure, heart rate and pulse oxygen levels. Each time we are discharged from the ER, I remind myself of how blessed we are to have a world class facility so accessible and how reassuring it is that if or when another incident happens again, it is reasonable to expect my daughter will receive the best care possible by excellent physicians. While there may not be answers to the "why" questions, it's helpful to know that because the IWK Health Centre has the resources to care for our region's sick and injured babies, kids and teens.

HKBK exists because we know youth in the Canadian Maritime provinces rely on the IWK Health Centre for so much. We're acutely aware of how important it is to ensure our local children's hospital remains as excellent as it is but also know that with more funding, the hospital can provide even more amazing care for sick and hurt children. Our story of that day could have been very different if it were not for the generosity and continued support of donors of the IWK Health Centre Foundation and supports or the annual IWK Telethon for Children and other events and campaigns held throughout the year. To check out some of the current scheduled events, take a look at the Foundation's Event Calendar by clicking here and be sure to check back often to see if there are any HKBK events listed!

And if you would like to make a donation to the IWK Health Center Foundation through HKBK Helping Kids be Kids, please go to:

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1113776&supId=413282164

All funds donated via the Internet will be directly received by the Foundation, never touching the hands of our group. The online donation site allows only credit card donations. If you are interested in making a financial contribution or becoming involved with our group, email us at iwkhkbk@gmail.com for more information.

A Clear Blue Sky Interrupted...

A Clear Blue Sky Interrupted...

A warm but brisk Autumn afternoon, while waiting for my daughter to exit school at her 3:15 p.m. dismissal, a common occurrence took place before my eyes. Across the street at the IWK Health Centre, the life flight helicopter approached and landed. Even with the busy traffic of cars, trucks and transit buses, the sound of the helicopter's approach was blaring and thunderous. It was a vociferous sound; distracting and clamorous. Many people walking to and fro on the sidewalks did not so much as glance up. My eyes, however, were drawn to look up with my heart beginning to pound as I felt my palms get sweaty. I wondered, "Could they just be delivering supplies? An organ for transplant perhaps? A regular check in by the life flight crew? Maybe they needed to get more supplies for their helicopter? Or...or... was there a sick or injured child in need of emergency care?" Instinctively, I began to pray. My mind flooded with memories of stories and times of when my friends (and countless thousands more I don't have the honor to know personally) had their children require this service. After the helicopter landed, I watched as staff met the life flight crew mid-way to take the stretcher carrying what appeared to be an incubator-sized box - presumably with a patient inside. Within seconds, the staff ran the stretcher into the doorways atop the helicopter landing pad area.

My heart beat more rapidly and my prayers grew stronger that the child I presumed to be inside would be cared for, that the staff responsible for the unknown precious tiny human would have the capacities and resources to appropriately treat him or her, that the parents of the child were with supportive people. I reminded myself that not all children transported to the IWK Health Centre arriving by life flight are in critical condition and perhaps this was the best means of passage for an otherwise stable patient. A big part of me - the mom of a chronically ill, special needs child - hoped and prayed that this was the beginning of an another miracle at the IWK Health Centre.

As I watched the two crew return and enter their helicopter, I began to film their departure. In teaching the youth involved with HKBK: Helping Kids Be Kids, I have grown to appreciate that having tangible photos and videos to show to them helps drive home just how and why our work is so important. With some of our fundraising events and goals already established and underway, the group has wonderful hopes and dreams of presenting a grand and sizable donation at the 31st Annual IWK Telethon for Children. I, for one, have full confidence that they'll be on stage with a terrific donation to present at the 2015 Telethon!

Soon after the helicopter departed (click here to watch the video), my daughter came out of her school's front doors and we were on our way to the IWK Health Centre Foundation office with our Event Tool Kit request for new donation boxes, telethon posters, patient story booklets, stickers and more. As we made our way through a long hallway to our desination, we saw signs posted on the walls which brought wide smiles and big eyes to us both:

We don't mind the appearance or noise at all! On the contrary, we are thankful for it. The re-building of the Children's Heart Centre is exciting for us. It is a spot close to home for us as her little sister, Carly Rose, my daughter, was born with multiple conditions - including three Congenital Heart Defects requiring surgical interventions to manage and repair. With the pondering of questions still in my mind of what needs the child arriving by life flight might require fresh in my mind, these posters along the halls reminded me of the legendary care available within the walls of the building where we were causally passing through.

If you wish to get involved with HKBK, we are always welcoming new volunteers of any and all ages. You can send us an email to lmkuhn76@gmail.com with any questions you might have. 

You can also follow us at our Facebook page by clicking https://www.facebook.com/hkbk15 Please share our link and invite your friends to follow us our well.

To make a donation to HKBK click here! All funds raised through our page at the IWK Health Centre Foundation will go directly to the hospital. Official tax receipts are available for donations in excess of $20.00 or more by request. If you would like to make a financial contribution off-line, email us at iwkhkbk@gmail.com  

Thanks for your consideration!