聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Three-year-old Daytona Maygard is 鈥渇ull of personality, strong-willed and stubborn,鈥� according to her mother, Jade Maygard. 鈥淪he loves babies, kids, animals and people.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Daytona also has Primary Generalized Epilepsy and her ongoing journey through the medical system has resulted in a significant financial challenge for her parents, Blaize and Jade Maygard of Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation. As a result, Jade has launched a GoFundMe page, hoping to raise $5,000 - in an effort to assist with the family's expenses related to their youngest child's illness.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 really didn't want to do this,鈥� says Jade. 鈥淚t took a friend eight hours to convince me and she said if I didn't do it, she would. I'm a proud person. I work. My husband is employed, but there's been no work,鈥� says Jade. 鈥淲e've tried everything before asking for help, but we also have bills that are falling behind.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Many of Daytona's medical expenses aren't covered by insurance 鈥渂ecause her epilepsy is a pre-existing health condition,鈥� says Jade. 鈥淪o we pay for ambulance rides, medication and medical travel.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔or example, one of her meds costs $200 a month - and that's if she isn't sick.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚n the last week of February, she has three appointments that are 45 minute to two-hour drives away. And in early March, she'll spend a week in the hospital in Saskatoon,鈥� says Jade. 鈥淪he'll spend her fourth birthday there.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Daytona is also battling additional effects related to her illness. Her mother says: 鈥淭he epilepsy has caused Daytona to develop sensory processing disorder - the seizures cause her to lose some of her vocabulary and her speech regresses.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏ecause of this, she also has to have more blood work, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and more.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 聽The family - which also includes siblings Danika,7 and Dominik, 5 - is grateful for the support they have already received.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 can't name everyone, but Trish from the Arcola Pharmacy has gone above and beyond for us,鈥� says Jade. 鈥淎nd this whole experience has made me want more people to know about epilepsy. Until something like this happens in your family, you just don't realize the affect it has.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥�(Daytona) requires attention all of the time, but we love her to pieces,鈥� adds Jade.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 聽鈥淪he wins the hearts of everyone she encounters.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 To contribute, visit Daytona Epilepsy Princess at or contact Jade Maygard at (306)- 575-3444.
