Kherington

At the age of 12, Kherington has already received over 2,000 needles and has had multiple surgeries and visits to Saskatchewan’s Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital (JPCH). However, she still hasn’t received a formal diagnosis. Kherington, like other children in Saskatchewan, is deemed a “medically complex” case or as her mom Cara calls her, an “enigma.”

Kherington’s medical journey began after having a life-threatening event on her way home from daycare when she was four-years-old. Kherington’s airway began to constrict to the point where she almost couldn’t breathe at all and she became lightheaded and dizzy as a result of her blood pressure dropping. This moment is one that her mom Cara will never forget.

“I don’t think there’s actually words to describe what it’s like to watch your child have a life-threatening event. You look at this tiny human that you are in charge of that you are supposed to be taking care of and keeping safe and healthy that’s spiraling out of control in front of you. You don’t know how to stop it and you don’t know how to fix it. To look at your kid and go, ‘Is today the day you’re going to die?’ is incredibly scary,” described Cara.

At the worst points, if their family is not on top of the medication and treatments for Kherington, it can lead to a life-threatening event.

Although Kherington doesn’t know when she’ll be diagnosed or what she’ll be diagnosed with, she does know that JPCH is helping her feel better. She visits every two to four weeks and it’s the team of doctors, nurses, and specialists that has helped Kherington and her family get through tough times and make her visits less scary.

“The doctors and nurses have become my family,” said Kherington.

“She looks at the staff, whether they’re nurses, the Child Life team, shop keepers or Foundation employees, as her friends.  She knows they are employees, but it speaks to the atmosphere of the hospital in that she considers them her hospital family and looks forward to seeing them and telling her updates and stories to them,” Cara said.

Because of Kherington’s regularly scheduled visits to JPCH for treatment and maintenance, she’s been able to live an incredible life. Even though Kherington is a medically complex child, it hasn’t stopped her from living out her dreams. Kherington has competed at the Irish Dance World Championships in Ireland and recently brought home a medal at the North American Championships. She’s homeschooled which allows her to do schoolwork from bed on tough days and it gives her time for her many hobbies, including dance, rhythmic gymnastics, taekwondo and art.

Without Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatchewan, Cara and Kherington know that the life she has been able to live might not have been a reality.