The Hospital for Sick Children

From being ranked one of the world’s best children’s hospitals and one of Canada’s top research hospitals, 2024 was filled with milestones and successes across SickKids. Here are just a few of the highlights from this year 👇 ➡️ For the first time in Canada, SickKids successfully implanted a Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS) device in a teen living with drug-resistant epilepsy – a potentially revolutionary therapy for patients whose seizures have been resistant to all other treatments. ➡️ Surgeons trained physicians in another country during an operation in real time by using smart glasses. ➡️ The clinical research team that administered an individualized gene therapy for SPG50 in a single-patient clinical trial published findings that show promise in halting the progression of the ultra-rare genetic condition. ➡️ An international team of researchers led by SickKids have, for the first time, developed strategies to diagnose and treat an aggressive syndrome that leads to cancer in almost all cases. ➡️ Researchers identified genes which may be partially responsible for the development of cerebral palsy. ➡️ Scientists laid the groundwork for early detection of and future precision therapies for cardiomyopathy. Read all the highlights: https://lnkd.in/gKk55X6J

Meet Mighty Myles. Read his story ⬇️

As many in the community celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa, let’s embrace the light, joy and togetherness that connect us all. Here's to celebrating SickKids' vibrant community and the unique traditions that make us who we are. Happy Holidays!

Every holiday season, Santa makes a special visit to SickKids' Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) –  thanks to John and Marsha Belford, former NICU grandparents. John and Marsha's granddaughter Sydney spent the first year of her life in SickKids' NICU – and they were by her bedside for most of it. When her first Christmas came around and she was still in hospital, they wanted to make it special. Fortunately, John has a connection to the North Pole and was able to arrange a special visit from Santa. The visit was such a success, Santa went all throughout the NICU visiting patients and families to spread holiday cheer and take photos. Although Sydney is now 10 and living at home with her parents, John still checks in with the North Pole every year to make sure Santa plans a holiday visit to patients and families at the SickKids NICU. "SickKids saved Sydney's life," says John. "It's the least we can do." Click through for Santa photos with SickKids' littlest patients and to meet John and Marsha!

Thank you to SickKids nursing and Child Life staff who went above and beyond to help baby Roman and his family celebrate their first holiday season while in hospital. The family balances Christmas and Hanukkah traditions, so they were supplied with a Hanukkah decorating box (luckily Roman had his own adorable Hanukkah onesie to match!) and created meaningful keepsakes, like a footprint Christmas craft. These thoughtful gestures made all the difference.  “At a time when we don’t have the capacity to think of the little things, staff have helped us make sweet memories that we want to share with Roman as he gets older,” says Roman’s mom, Erika. 

This Christmas holds extra special meaning for the Morrison family. Erica and Brett spent last Christmas in the SickKids NICU with their son Jeff, who was born prematurely at 24 weeks. Now, Jeff is healthy at home, and the family is looking forward to the little things: waking up on Christmas morning and eating breakfast with Jeff, opening gifts and taking a walk with their dogs. “Being where we were last year gave us so much perspective and appreciation for those little things that we may not have had if the situation was different,” Erica says. Read more about the family’s journey and their plans for their first Christmas at home ➡️ https://bit.ly/41MEBkk

Why is #autism more common in males? SickKids researchers, together with IRCCS Ospedale Pediatrico Giannina Gaslini, identified variants in the DDX53 gene contribute to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), along with 59 genetic variants on the X chromosome significantly associated with ASD. Published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, the two simultaneous #ASD studies not only illuminate some of the genetic underpinnings of the condition but also highlight important sex-specific differences which may help scientists understand why it presents differently in males. Read the #SKResearch from Drs. Stephen Scherer, Marla Mendes & more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gqi3bsYe 

Congratulations to SickKids' Drs. Zulfiqar Bhutta, David Chitayat and George Trusler on their appointments to the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest honours!   Dr. Bhutta, Co-Director of the SickKids Centre for Global Child Health, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada for his pioneering work in maternal and child health, where he's helped significantly reduce mortality rates and improve the well-being of women and children.   Dr. Chitayat, from the Department of Paediatrics, has been named a Member of the Order of Canada for his work as a clinical geneticist, focused on identifying genes associated with fetal abnormalities and different conditions affecting newborns and children.   And finally, Dr. Trusler, paediatric surgeon and former Head of Cardiovascular Surgery at SickKids in the 1970s and 1980s, was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. In his 36-years with SickKids, Trusler was a key player in the evolution of open heart surgery and developed the procedure that bears his name for the repair of a leaking aortic valve, thereby avoiding valve replacement.    Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4iLT1ra

As many begin to wind down for the holidays, teams at SickKids are full steam ahead.   Please join us in thanking health-care workers for always putting the needs of patients and families first!   ❄️Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season!💙

Are you a healthcare professional working with children 6 years and below? Register for the Infant and Early Mental Health Promotion Symposium in Toronto. Join us right here at SickKids on January 15, 2025 for a FREE day of learning. You'll get to: ✅ Explore cutting-edge research ✅ Strengthen programs and policies ✅ Support kids under 6 and their families Spots are limited, register today ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gw2kPzhk