June 15, 2021

Join the Sunshine Maker Club and Help Kids Like Silas

For Silas and his family, Feb. 7, 2019 went from an average day to a life-changing one in an instant.

When Silas was 10 months old, he was attacked by a dog in a freak accident. He was rushed to the hospital and went straight into emergency facial reconstruction surgery.

“It was pretty much a big blur,” said Sarah, Silas’ mom. “Everything was crazy and I think I was in shock. When we first got there, I just remember I crumbled into somebody’s arms at the sight of seeing my child on life support.”

Silas suffered severe facial trauma, a broken jaw and dental injuries. He had to spend an entire week sedated in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in Saskatoon.

“It was like a whirlwind. Everyone was super supportive, but it was really scary the first few days not knowing what was going to happen and not being able to process it,” explained Sarah.

Despite the circumstances, Sarah said her family’s positive experience in the PICU helped make the situation better. She added the medical staff’s expertise and care helped bring comfort and reassurance during their time in hospital.

After a week in the PICU, Silas was moved to the Pediatric Inpatient Unit for an additional three weeks to continue his recovery. During this time he also underwent another surgery on his jaw to help stabilize it.

After spending a month healing in hospital, Silas was finally able to go home. He braved his third surgery in 2020 to remove a plate from his jaw.

Doctors were unsure how the nerve damage to Silas’ face would heal, but he’s made major improvements with getting movement back. He does have some visible scarring to his cheek and will eventually require dental work in the future, but despite that, the three-year-old doesn’t let the traumatic experience hold him back.

Today, he’s an energetic, talkative and bubbly toddler who loves Paw Patrol, Blue’s Clues, Peppa Pig, and most of all, his little sister.

“I think what inspires me most about Silas is how fearless he is. He is willing to try anything once except new foods — we are working on that. How he thinks every person he meets is his ‘new best friend,’ how after such a traumatic incident he squeals, ‘Mom, look at that cute puppy!’ at every dog he sees, and his complete adoration for his little sister,” said Sarah.

You can help kids like Silas by joining us during the 2nd annual Day of Sunshine presented by The Mosaic Company!

Become a monthly donor on June 15 & 16 and your gift will be matched every month for an entire year! If you take up the Sunshine Maker Club challenge, join in on the conversation by using #DayOfSunshineChallenge! If monthly giving is not of your interest, we are graciously accepting one-time donations.

You can also find us on our social channels: FacebookInstagramTwitter and LinkedIn. 

More from the Newsroom

BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR, JOIN THE SUNSHINE MAKER CLUB

Sunshine Maker Club Logo

Sunshine Maker Club is a meaningful way to donate via pre-authorized payments of $20 or more on the 15th of every month. It’s an easy way to spread your generosity throughout the year!

Sunshine Maker Club Logo