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Our Kids - Meet Madison

Madison, 12, pulmonary hypertension

Madison, 12, living with pulmonary hypertension

On December 31, 2010, Madison made her very own New Year’s ball, modeled after the ball that drops in Times Square. She watched fireworks with her parents and when the time came, counted down to midnight with the television host. She did all of this from the comfort of her ‘second’ home, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

Doctors and nurses work hard to get as many patients as possible home for the holidays, but some children are simply too ill to be discharged or to get a day pass.

“SickKids is the best place to be at the worst of times,” says Bonnie, Madison’s mother. “The staff always make you feel welcome. They take care of the entire family.”

Madison, now 12, was in hospital last December and January with an infection. Seven years ago, she was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, a degenerative disease, which affects her lungs and heart. She has a tube inserted in her chest to automatically deliver special medicine to her heart every five minutes. She carries a small backpack with her at all times to store the medicine and keep it at a controlled temperature.

Since Madison visits SickKids so often, she is well known on the cardiac ward. Here she has a whole new set of friends and socializes with other patients who are ‘frequent flyers’ to make the most of each hospital admission.

“It’s fun to be at SickKids when I’m sick,” says Madison. “Everyone knows who I am and some staff even come into my room to play games with me when I’m not able to leave.”

Bonnie recalls a therapeutic clown spending several hours in Madison’s room when she was once too sick to leave the floor. Special moments like these make the longer stays more bearable.

Spending so much time in hospital has made Madison truly appreciate when she is well enough to be at home and in school. She goes out with friends, sings in the school choir and is looking forward to learning the clarinet this year. Today, she is the healthiest she’s been since her initial diagnosis and happily rang in 2012 with family and friends.

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