Moving your family to a new country comes with many challenges. However, moving to a new country and having one of your children fall ill, is one challenge no one could prepare for.
Eight-year-old Yhadiel Garcia was diagnosed with Acute Rheumatic Fever and Valvulitis less than one year after moving to Red Deer from the Philippines.
Yhadiel had made several visits to his family doctor, seeking answers for persistent fever symptoms. Despite these consultations, his condition took a serious turn, progressing to severe breathing difficulties that eventually left him blue.
His mother urgently called an ambulance and Yhadiel was sent to Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre. He was initially diagnosed with Pneumonia and subsequently transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Stollery Children's Hospital on April 29, 2024.
At the PICU, Yhadiel's diagnosis changed to Acute Rheumatic Fever and Valvulitis, which involve the inflammation of the heart. Yhadiel was required to undergo cardiac surgery on May 6.
Although it was attempted to remove his intubator, Yhadiel needed additional
surgery on May 16 to support his breathing.Helping the Garcia Family.
After two open-heart surgeries and a minor lung procedure, Yhadiel was discharged from Stollery Children’s Hospital and admitted to Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital for post-cardiac surgery rehabilitation on July 10.
The physical presence and support from Yhadiel’s parents through his time at the hospital were crucial. In addition to his heart conditions, Yhadiel has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) rendering him non-verbal.
Adhering to a Family Centred Care model of practice, the Stollery Children’s Hospital highly expresses the importance of the presence of a child’s parents for their progress.
Yhadiel’s parents were dedicated to remaining by his side but were faced with financial challenges when they needed to take time off work.
His mother is pursuing studies while on a student visa and had to take an unpaid leave of absence from her part-time job after Yhadiel’s hospitalization.
His father is on a work visa and balancing two jobs, but had to take a temporary leave when Yhadiel was hospitalized. He returned to work in late May to support his family’s financial responsibilities.
In addition to their unpaid time away from work, the Garcia family had limited financial means and no extended family support as newcomers to Canada. They were unable to qualify for many federal and provincial financial assistance programs due to their temporary residence status.
They were recommended by their social worker to apply for assistance through Community Key, and we knew we could help. We were able to alleviate one of the Garcia family’s most significant financial burdens by assisting with their rent payments.
We continue to cheer for Yhadiel’s recovery and thank all of our donors for their contributions to helping the Garcia family!
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