Meet

Nash

Age: 9
Hometown: Macklin
Condition: Brain Tumour

Nash and his mom, Nikki, from Macklin, SK., went through the doors of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital on its first patient day, Sept. 29, 2019. Their experience was unexpectedly heartwarming. “Hospitals are scary, and you don’t go there for fun; you go because you are sick. But when we entered Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital for the first time, I loved all the colours, the openness and how different areas were.”

The cheerful, welcoming environment at the hospital made a significant difference. The staff were upbeat and friendly, giving Nikki and Nash a tour through the brightly coloured areas adorned with beautiful animal murals. Their room was cozy, thanks to blankets knitted by Irene Dubé. “Just that extra bit of human touch helped a lot, especially for kids to have that nice soft welcome,” Nikki shared. The ability to see outside and let the sunshine into their room was also uplifting, symbolizing hope and warmth.

Having a specialized children’s hospital in Saskatchewan was monumental for their family. Access to expert pediatric care close to home was crucial when their journey began in December 2018 when three-year-old Nash was diagnosed with a brain tumour the size of a grapefruit. A surgery two days after diagnosis removed 90% of the tumour, but he suffered a stroke shortly after, causing deficits on the right side of his body. He had to relearn many gross and fine motor movements. Chemotherapy started in February 2019 to shrink the remaining tumour, but it grew back in 2020. Nash endured six weeks of radiation later that year, which required daily sedation.

Nikki emphasized the importance of donations to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation, highlighting that many of JPCH’s amenities are not standard in hospitals. One of her and Nash’s favourite places was the Teammates for Kids Child Life Zone, a fun and educational area where kids can just be kids. Nash used the MRI Ready Program where he used the virtual reality goggles to simulate the experience. In addition, Child Life therapists played a crucial role, helping distract and comfort him during scary medical procedures.

Despite the tough times, Nash found joy in small moments. He loved the Treats & Treasures Cart. He enjoyed the Mosaic Child Life Program with its positive distractions such as music therapy, activities, and pretending to be in the back of the ambulance through medical play. Nash has a great sense of humour. One of his favourite hospital memories was sneaking like a ninja, crawling under the nurses’ desk, and playfully scaring them.

Today, Nash needs regular blood work every six weeks and twice a year he undergoes monitoring MRIs to ensure there are no changes in his condition. For almost four years now, Nash has been stable and has not required further treatment. “I will take stable and no change every day of the week and we will just monitor from there,” Nikki said. Although Nash will need lifelong monitoring, current stability is a blessing.

Nash is a brave and spunky boy who loves going to the lake, playing in his sandbox and enjoying his backyard play center. His family remains deeply grateful for the invaluable care they’ve received at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, which continues to support Nash on his journey. They are thankful for the unexpected brightness, the hospital’s beautiful facility and the staff who have brought hope into their lives during their toughest times.

Please donate to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation to help kids like Nash.

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