Calvin

When your child is in pain, it can make you feel unbelievably helpless but getting the right support can lead to hope.

During their most difficult and scary days with three-year-old Calvin, parents Hannah and Scott knew they could count on HSC Children’s Hospital.  

“There were times I felt overwhelmed and scared, but there were also moments when I was moved to tears by the kindness and compassion shown to our family,” says Hannah.

In January of 2025 Calvin started to get very sick. At first parents Hannah and Scott thought he had the flu, but his symptoms escalated quickly. He began vomiting, complained of a severe headache, and became unusually sleepy. When he struggled to stay awake, they knew the situation was serious and he needed HSC Children’s Hospital Emergency.

“I was very stressed during the acute phase and desperate to make him feel better,” says Hannah. At the time Hannah was also pregnant with Calvin’s younger sister Heidi.

In emergency, testing confirmed Calvin had meningitis and he was admitted to HSC Children’s where he stayed for about a week. But the next three months would be a constant back and forth for the family.

Calvin lives with an autoimmune disorder called myasthenia gravis, which was well managed until his bout with meningitis and after his first stay Calvin had more flare ups of pain. Between January to March, he ended up at Children’s Hospital Emergency six more times overnight before a final 16-day stretch as an inpatient where he needed imaging, testing, medication, pain management and a nasogastric (NG) tube for nutrition.

Hannah says while she and Scott were deeply concerned for their child, they knew he would receive help at Children’s Hospital Emergency. They remember every step of the way the medical team caring for Calvin was thoughtful and thorough.

“Day-to-day interaction with the team made a big difference,” says Hannah. “They learned what he liked and didn’t like and consistently tried to accommodate him and his feelings.”

“When a child is in the hospital, the stress doesn’t just affect the child—it affects the whole family. For us, the medical care was essential, but what made the biggest difference was everything that helped our son still feel like a kid.”

Hannah remembers many long days where Calvin couldn’t move and the hope she felt when he started to improve.   

“We started to see progress in Calvin for the first time when he was in the playroom,” says Hannah. “It was the first time he wanted to move.”

The playroom at HSC Children’s is run by Child Life specialists who are experts in child development and helping kids cope during difficult times.

“They consistently went out of their way to make him feel special and safe,” says Hannah. “On one visit, they even created a small teddy bear clinic for him. He still has the bear and talks about it often.”

Child Life programming includes the playroom, Music Therapy, the Library Program, Children’s Hospital TV and special celebrations.

“Opportunities to play and create gave him moments of normalcy during a very scary time,” says Hannah. “Those moments mattered more than we realized at the time—they reduced his fear and gave him something to look forward to each day. At the same time, they gave us as parents a chance to breathe. Knowing he could laugh, play, and feel safe—even briefly—made an overwhelming situation more manageable.”

Now Calvin is back at home, full of energy, playing with his siblings Lucas and Heidi and enjoying life as a happy, active child. He loves the Winnipeg Jets, skating, hockey, puzzles, monster trucks and biking; he learned to ride a two-wheel bike shortly before he turned four in summer of 2025.

Calvin and his family still visit HSC Children’s often for follow-up care.

“It is now a very familiar place, and we take comfort in the fact that Calvin now walks the halls looking for the fun things he remembers (the playroom, books, toys) rather than all the scary parts,” says Hannah.

Child Life programming is 100 per cent funded by donors. Hannah says she is deeply grateful for the kindness of our community and the role they play in helping families like hers through some of their hardest days.

“Your generosity helped our son feel safe and still experience joy during a very stressful hospital stay. It supported not only his emotional wellbeing, but our family’s ability to cope. That difference is something we will never forget.”

*In the “Designation” section, please select “Child Life Program” from the dropdown menu*