聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Six-year-old Tayo Sedor's medical journey began when he was a toddler, and although he is now a healthy grade one student at Carlyle Elementary School, his experience with Montreal's Shriners Hospital for Children has left a lasting impression on his family.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's not only our experience at Shriners Hospital,鈥� says Tayo's mom, Jenn. 鈥淚t's the other families we saw there. For example, on the hospital shuttle, there was a young mom from Toronto whose baby had already undergone 21 surgeries. We got our happy ending, but a lot of families don't. As a result of what we've seen and learned during our experience with Shriners Hospital, we've decided to help the Shriners help other families like us.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Sedors encountered the Shriners after Tayo had been diagnosed with both scoliosis of the spine and a Chiari 1 malformation of the brain.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏asically, his back looked like a big 'S',鈥� says Jenn. After he was diagnosed, he was fitted with a body brace that he had to wear for 23 hours a day. It only came off when he bathed.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 By placing Tayo in the brace between the ages of two and three, doctors in Saskatoon (where the family had intially been referred) were attempting to mold the bones in Tayo's back from their crooked position into a straight line.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 However, an even more alarming prospect for the family was Tayo's diagnosis of a Chiari 1 malformation of the brain, which came when he was 18 months old. 鈥淗e was unable to walk or talk,鈥� says Jenn. 鈥淎nd a piece of his brain was compressed from his upper neck into his spinal cord, which forced his little bones into an 'S' shape.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he orthopedic surgeon called us from Saskatoon, and she gave us the diagnosis over the phone,鈥� says Jenn. 鈥淪he told us Tayo would need brain surgery.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e were completely overwhelmed with the idea of brain surgery,鈥� adds Jenn. 鈥淲e'd had our difficulties with Sask Health and we wanted a second opinion.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎 friend saw an ad in the paper from the Shriners and phoned them. We were actually on our way back from a doctor's appointment in Saskatoon for Tayo, and the Shriners were in Regina, holding their patient reviews. They told us to 'Bring him and his file.'鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏ecause we were returning from an appointment in Saskatoon, we had Tayo with us, we had his file with us, so we were ready.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e had breakfast with the Shriners in their hall and they were so welcoming and warm, she says. 鈥淎fter a few weeks went by, we heard from them and they let us know that they had accepted Tayo conditionally.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Soon the Sedors were on their way to Shriners Hospital for Children in Montreal for the second opinion they had hoped for.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e had a really good appointment,鈥� says Jenn. 鈥淲e didn't have to wait, and of course, best of all Tayo was out of his brace.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Jenn says the Shriners do a seamless job of allaying much of the stress for families who are already dealing with the significant strain of having a sick child.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hat they do is amazing,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey pay for airfare for one parent and their child, as well as picking up the cost of the hotel stay. They even have a shuttle bus from the hotel to the hospital, which is where I saw many children who were sicker than my own.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he hospital itself is incredible. It's Canada's only Shriners Hospital for Children and it provides state-of-the-art highly-specialized pediatric orthopaedic care for kids from all across Canada and parts of North America.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tayo's dad, Tim Sedor was inspired to become a Shriner as a direct result of his family's experience with Shriner's Hospital. As a member of the Estevan & District Shrine Club, Shriner Noble Tim says, 鈥淭he hospital is an amazing place, and it really is a hospital for all Canadian children who need it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 decided to become a Shriner-which takes a while-because I wanted to be part of a group that cares more than anything about getting the best possible outcome for children, no matter what the cost.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔or the Shriners, cost is no object when people are in a tight spot. It's just our way of paying it forward. And I'd like to say that anyone who who thinks they might need help from the Shriners for their child to talk to Jenn or I. 鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e are so grateful to the Shriners and for Tayo's health,鈥� adds Jenn. 鈥淏ut what we saw there really changed us,鈥� she adds. 鈥淲e saw some kids who had conditions that were far more serious than Tayo's and we saw some kids that didn't come home.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 saw kids that were much sicker than my own,鈥� she adds. 鈥淲hen we got home, Tim made the commitment to become a Shriner and I knew I wanted to join him because of what the Shriners have done for us.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e're committed now as a family to fundraising for the Shriners and getting the word out to families who may need their help like we did,鈥� says Jenn.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's our way of paying it forward.鈥�
