(Photo: Sydney Gardiner and her daughter Layna Durocher, submitted by Gardiner)
The annual Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Radiothon kicks off today! The event started out as a simple fundraiser over 20 years ago and has grown to a province-wide event over the years.
This year’s Radiothon presented by CIBC Wood Grundy is geared towards raising funds for cardiac and respiratory care. Funding will provide cutting-edge tools for the diagnosis and management of various breathing disorders as well as faster and more accurate diagnoses for young cardiac patients through advanced ultrasounds and specialized heart tests.
Layna Durocher of Île-à-la-Crosse who celebrated her first birthday in June was diagnosed with a very rare genetic disorder. It affects her kidneys, lungs, and heart. She has pulmonary hypertension, left lung hypoplasia, and horseshoe kidneys.
Her mother, Sydney Gardiner said that during her pregnancy she and doctors were worried Layna would be a small baby. Nobody realized how sick she was and when it was time for Gardiner to have Layna she went into labour three weeks early. She said the labour itself was a traumatic experience for her and that Layna ended up being a big baby weighing 6lbs 25oz. She came out unresponsive and very sick and had to spend a couple days in the NICU.
“The first 48 hours were a blur for me, but I remember everybody working really hard and around the clock to keep her alive, at one point there was over 20 people in the room, and it was busy like that constantly for a few days,” explained Gardiner.
Gardiner stated that Layna has only spent 49 days of her life out of the hospital since she was born, and she has spent a total of 459 days in hospital.
“All of the little things like getting groceries, and just getting out of the house for a walk, those are huge for us because she spent so much time in the hospital, so anything small it’s a big deal for the both of us,” she said.
Layna’s lung collapsed, and she was in organ and heart failure, but Gardiner said that she has come a long way and is improving every day.
‘Her lungs and her kidneys are doing well, overall, she’s doing amazing and she’s so happy and you just wouldn’t think that she’s sick because she’s just thriving, so again I’m very proud of her and proud of her progress,” said Gardiner.
Gardiner and Layna’s father stayed at the Ronald McDonald House for ten months until they were asked to relocate to Saskatoon due to Layna’s high needs. They were able get a house through Camponi Housing which offers affordable housing for Métis individuals. Gardiner stated that it’s hard living in Saskatoon as she has two other kids and Layna’s father has another kid that they don’t get to see very often.
“We don’t see them very often because we live in Saskatoon and because of Layna’s high needs, we can’t have them live with us right now because we don’t have the support here in the city, so it’s been very hard and very stressful,” she said.
She stated that Layna wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the JPCH, all of the staff and the donors.
“If it wasn’t for the amazing donors throughout the last decade or so, this hospital would not be here, and the amazing staff would not be here either, Layna would also not be here today without the resources at this hospital. So, if you can please donate and continue to donate throughout the years it means a lot to me and Layna and many others out there because we’re not the first northern family to need these resources and we’re definitely not the last,” she said.
The Radiothon kicks off today and wraps up tomorrow. To donate you can call 1-888-808-KIDS (5437) or donate online at the link below.