Katie's second chance at life
Author: Alicia Erz
Last June, Katie celebrated a milestone that seemed almost impossible a few years ago – she graduated from Western University. And this year, she achieved another milestone – completing the Child Life Program at McMaster University to pursue her dream of working as a Child Life Specialist.
At the age of 16, Katie was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, a rare lung disorder that constricts veins and arteries in the lungs. In a few short months, Katie went from being active and healthy to desperately ill and unable to breathe. She required a double lung transplant, and in the absence of a donor, her family was told to say their goodbyes.
Miraculously, doctors at SickKids were able to keep Katie alive using an artificial lung, something which had never been used on a child before. Katie’s blood circulated externally through a small white box, called a Novalung, and became her life support while she waited for lungs to become available. After a wait of 30 days, a donor was found and Katie had a successful double lung transplant in August 2008.
"I always felt supported by each Child Life Specialist I encountered."
“After I was told I would need a transplant, I never imagined that I would return to a normal life; a life where I would breathe easy, return to school and eventually attend University,” said Katie. “Graduation and walking across the stage at Western was a surreal moment where I reflected on how far I had come, and how far I might go after receiving a second chance at life.”
Katie decided to use that second chance to pursue a career in something that she had become very familiar with during her time as a patient at SickKids – a Child Life Specialist.
“I decided to study Child Life because I wanted to use my experiences as a patient to help other children who are in similar situations,” said Katie.
Through the Child Life Program at McMaster, Katie learned about the profession in the classroom and through two 8-week internships in hospital, where she was able to be part of the clinical side of Child Life. She said the program was the busiest eight months of school that she has ever had, but was well worth it.
Katie’s ultimate goal is to one day work as a Child Life Specialist at SickKids, providing the warmth and support that she encountered while here as a patient.
“Whether it was by supporting me through a medical procedure, teaching me how to swallow pills or checking in on my emotional well-being, I always felt supported by each Child Life Specialist I encountered.”
One particular memory that stands out for Katie was her 16th birthday celebration in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). She had been in the ICU for a number of weeks on an artificial lung and was unable to move. Her Child Life Specialist organized a party for her and invited her family, doctors, nurses and other staff from around the hospital to come and celebrate. Katie’s hospital bed was moved to another room, which may not sound like much, but for her was a wonderful moment as she had been in the same spot, unable to get out of bed, for a long time.
“I will never forget all of the energy and planning that was put into that day, or the positive impact it had on my well-being,” said Katie.
Katie is looking forward to what the future holds for her and hopes to be able to make an impact using the life lessons that she has learned along the way.
“One lesson I learned after being diagnosed with a terminal lung disease and receiving a double lung transplant is that, while we cannot control the outcome of life events, we can control the way we choose to think and respond to them. I have come to believe that the way one looks at a situation is just as important as the situation itself.”
She sees this as having an important connection to her future career.
“Child Life Specialists can make a remarkable difference in the way that patients experience and view their health journey,” said Katie. “The Child Life profession has the power to create a positive hospital experience for patients and their families, and I want to be a part of that.”
