There is no secret that we love Sick Kids hospital for all that it has done for Zack, for us as parents and for several of our dear friends. So, when they contacted us (by reading this blog) to ask if we were interested in being Ambassadors, it was a fast and clear YES!!!
We are so honoured to share our story, support the hospital where miracles happen and be a part of the Sick Kids community to allow us to give back and inspire others to do the same.
Here is Zack’s profile- we are so excited that on Wednesday September 1st, Tom Brown of CTV will be interviewing us for a commerical to promote the Sick Kids lottery!!! Way to go Zackie!!!!
Child’s condition: Genetic Deletion, Congenital Heart Defect, Global Delay
Age: 2 (DOB: October 21, 2007)
“There is no place on Earth that feels as comforting as SickKids. It is a place where we are accepted and loved and there is something pretty magical about that.” – Heather Hamilton, mother
For the past three years, the Hamilton family has relied on the support of just about every area of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). From the cardiac unit to genetics to the ENT clinic to neurosurgery, it’s difficult to name a department in SickKids they haven’t experienced.
When Heather was pregnant with twin boys, Zack and Jayden, routine ultrasounds showed that Zack was slightly smaller than brother Jayden. When they were delivered, it became immediately apparent Zack was different. His hands and feet were blue and quickly becoming worse, so the SickKids Acute Care Transport Team traveled to their hospital to examine him. They quickly determined Zack would need to be transferred to the Cardiac Critical Care Unit at SickKids for more specialized care. He required resuscitation twice upon arrival.
He was diagnosed with Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage (TAPVD), essentially meaning that blood was not flowing properly to and from the heart to the lungs. At two and a half weeks old, Zack underwent the Coles procedure at SickKids to repair the connection. Though he experienced many complications including seizures, fluid in the brain (hydrocephalus) and severe reflux, one of the biggest challenges was feeding. Zack was eventually able to be fed with a thickened formula and after six weeks, returned home with numerous medications.
Since the initial visit, he now requires hearing aids and a G-tube that was inserted into his stomach for feeding and medication. Though he has no official overall diagnosis, the genetics team was able to determine that the cause of Zack’s anomalies was the deletion or missing part on the 12th chromosome. This deletion is the first recorded case in the world, making Zack’s case extremely unique. He continues to visit SickKids frequently to follow up with a number of divisions involved in his care.
Zack is a very happy, affectionate little boy. He lights up every room he enters and leaves a lasting impression on everyone he encounters. He enjoys drumming with his older brother Ty, bouncing on the trampoline and being taken for walks with his walker. Heather and Paul are confident their son will gradually be able to walk on his own, but for now, they are allowing Zack to progress independently and enjoying the adventure one step at a time.
Why SickKids?
1. SickKids treats children with heart failure and has a specialized Cardiomyopathy and Heart Function clinic, with four doctors, and two nurse practitioners. This team conducts important research, and cares for the needs of patients like Zack on a daily basis.
2. The Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics sees more than 3,000 patients per year, including both inpatients and outpatients. It has internationally renowned geneticists and genetic counselors who have developed specific areas of expertise to help advance the understanding of genetic disorders.
Michelle
September 2, 2010 at 4:27 pm (14 years ago)Awesome–way to go Zack!!!! We’ll have to look out for that commercial!! Hope you guys have had a wonderful summer (glad to have not seen you at the hospital!!!!)