Chloe Sousa, pictured with her parents Leanne and Christopher, received gene therapy treatment for spinal muscular atrophy at McMaster Children’s Hospital. Chloe was one of two MCH patients to win a global treatment lottery.

2020 Celebrations: Stories from McMaster Children’s Hospital

There’s no doubt the pandemic brought challenges to children’s healthcare in 2020. McMaster Children’s Hospital (MCH) partnered with other provincial children’s hospitals and organizations to bring attention to the impact of the pandemic on children and youth, and their families. Partners within the Children’s Healthcare Coalition hosted a Kids in Crisis Town Hall to discuss the issue. The crisis gained news coverage as wait times increased and parents continued to worry.

But through all this, MCH has continued to provide exemplary care for sick children in our region and advocate on behalf of patients and families. Our Quality of Life and Advanced Care Program celebrated its five year anniversary and participated in the first annual National Hospice Palliative Care Day for Children.

Our state-of-the-art, fully accessible Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre, which houses the MCH Autism program, Child and Youth Mental Health program, and Developmental Pediatrics and Rehabilitation program, celebrated five years in the community.

Plus, our healthcare providers have created a collection of videos to keep our patients and families connected and informed during the pandemic.

McMaster Children’s Hospital has been providing care to children from across the region since 1988. Patients ranging in age from infancy to 17 receive care through a family-centred approach that accounts for the child’s emotional, mental and physical well-being.

The hospital is home to the fastest-growing kids-only emergency department in Ontario, one of Canada’s most advanced neonatal intensive care units, and a range of programs and clinics with unique expertise in a number of areas including children’s cancer, digestive diseases, and mental health.

Read all the 2020 celebration stories this month.

Fewer than 70 cases worldwide: Young girl’s rare skin disease Toddler able to swallow with help of new MCH clinic Baby recovers from hole in his diaphragm Care before surgery key to Nathan's healing Why everyone's talking about Kawasaki disease It takes – more than – a village to care for children with serious health conditions RJCHC celebrates five-years in the community Complex care for Roberto means sleepless nights for his parents