Newsroom
November 27, 2017
Meet Allen: Our Making Spirits Bright Holiday Giving Ambassador
This holiday season will be a very special one for the Tulagan family of Saskatoon. Their 18-month-old son Allen will be home for the first time in his life, just in time for the holidays. While he’ll be joining his family at home, you’ll still be seeing his smiling face on posters, booklets in your mailbox, and on our social media accounts over the holidays. With his powerful story and sweet face, he is the ambassador for this year’s Making Spirits Bright Holiday Giving campaign, which kicks off on Giving Tuesday on November 28th.
Allen’s mom had a relatively normal pregnancy with only one small clue on what was to come, Doctors confirmed that she had a higher than normal amount of amniotic fluid, but with a healthy daughter already at home, it came as a shock to discover the magnitude of Allen’s condition.
He was born with a rare congenital defect called Goldenhar syndrome, which often leads to growth issues with critical internal organs like lungs, heart, and kidneys and many facial features not completely developed including ears, nose, lower jaw, and soft palate. More common in baby boys, it affects between 1/3,500-1/26,000 births and it means that Allen will be a regular visitor to our new children’s hospital. And while the Tulagans wait for the doors to open on Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in 2019, little Allen will continue to receive care in pediatrics in Saskatoon and at the Alvin Buckwold Child Development Centre.
While Allen’s family is thrilled to have him home for the holidays, hundreds of Saskatchewan children like him will remain in hospital. It’s why his family is sharing his story as part of our Making Spirits Bright Holiday Giving campaign.
Shop our holiday giving catalogue and you’ll help make spirits bright and truly make this giving season a time for celebration for kids just like Allen.
