Aven

At 10 years old, Aven’s life in Regina, SK, was turned upside down in a matter of weeks when what appeared as typical growing pains and a stomach ache became much more serious. When his pain escalated to the point of being unable to use the stairs his concerned mom, Tracy, took Aven for bloodwork revealing a shocking diagnosis: leukemia.

“I didn’t accept it. We got in the car and drove to Saskatoon. I was adamant that when we got there I would demand they rerun his blood work. I kept praying and believing that they would check it and there would be no evidence of Leukemia,” said Tracy.

At first, Aven was scared to go to JPCH for his treatments, but the uplifting atmosphere and phenomenal staff at JPCH helped keep a smile on his face through the roughest time of his life. He loved participating in the Mosaic Child Life Program in the Teammates for Kids Child Life Zone, going to the JPCH Movie Theatre with his family, and said it felt like he was staying in a nice hotel, not a hospital room.

“Everyone was so caring and made our time there a little easier as it was a very emotional time for us,” said Rory.

Throughout his two-and-a-half-year treatment journey, Aven faced challenges, including weight loss and food aversion due to intense treatment. Despite the hardships, he completed treatment in August 2023, marking a significant milestone in his battle against leukemia.

Today, Aven is 13 years old, and on the mend. Aven enjoys playing guitar, building Lego, gaming, and spending time with friends. Aven’s family is incredibly grateful for their kind-hearted and intelligent boy and the care and programming at Saskatchewan’s Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital that allowed him to experience joy through his difficult medical journey.

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