Emma P.

When six-year-old Emma became dangerously ill and needed life support, her body was so fragile her parents couldn’t even give her a hug.

“There was a long time that we couldn’t hold her, we could just take her hand,” says Erny, Emma’s dad.

In December of 2023, Emma became very sick, very quickly. At first, it appeared as though she had the flu, but when she started struggling to breathe, her parents knew she needed emergency care. What followed was 146 days in hospital and life-changing surgery.

“They told me, ‘Your daughter is very, very, very sick,’ and I remember thinking that’s a lot of verys,” says Kailey, Emma’s mom.

Kailey rushed Emma to HSC Children’s Hospital Emergency where doctors discovered her body was going into septic shock caused by an invasive Group A strep infection and pneumonia. The health care team intubated Emma, placing a breathing tube, and putting her on life support.

Emma’s kidneys began to fail and she needed continuous dialysis. Her weakened heart also severely struggled with circulation, which meant she was at risk of losing both her hands and feet.

Finally, Emma’s body started to recover bit by bit.

“We would count how many tubes and lines were connected to her, and as the weeks went by the number got lower and lower,” says Erny. “She loved knowing her progress.”

A combination of daily physiotherapy and occupational therapy helped Emma regain strength in her hands, but the poor blood circulation to her legs had caused irreversible damage. In March of 2024, Emma needed surgery to amputate her right leg below the knee and toes on her left foot.

“We got the call that Emma was out of surgery and the first thing she said was ‘I want to see my leg,’” says Kailey. “In that moment as a parent, when all you have to offer your child is a hug, that’s what we did.”

Emma worked hard at physio, first learning to sit up on her own, then bearing weight, and taking her first steps.

“We were all so proud of her and she was so proud of herself,” says Kailey. “I think we knew at that moment that she can do anything.”

During Emma’s time at HSC Children’s Hospital, health care teams and Child Life specialists made it feel like a second home. Despite many hard moments, her family also has fond memories from the hospital.

“The team made every moment count for Emma,” says Kailey. “Kids learn and heal through play, and one of her favourite places was the playroom, where she would go to the mini hospital set up and take her doll’s vitals every day.”

In May of 2024, Emma went home to continue her recovery, and in October of that year she was fitted with her first prosthetic leg.

Emma’s family is deeply grateful for the breakthroughs in medical research and technology that saved her life and allowed her to return to activities she loves like swimming, gymnastics, rock climbing, monkey bars, and playing with her sisters Carly and Zoey.

Right here in Manitoba, leading scientists are working to prevent and treat childhood illness, like the Excellence in Neurodevelopment and Rehabilitation Research in Child Health (ENRRICH) team at Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. ENRRICH aims to improve quality of life and care for children who need rehabilitation services, like Emma.

“Research is what drives our health care system,” says Kailey. “Our family has seen firsthand what is made possible at the Children’s Hospital through donations and through research. Because of the technology and the research that’s been available, Emma’s able to do anything she wants to do.”

In November of 2026, Emma will celebrate her ninth birthday. She keeps pushing forward in physio, gaining new skills and strength, while tackling every obstacle with her hilarious and spunky attitude. She also started playing sledge hockey and is enjoying learning a new sport while connecting with other kids who have a variety of abilities.

“Emma is a firecracker,” says Kailey. “She’s a little rainbow tornado. She lights up the room wherever she goes, because the love that’s inside of her is so big.”

You can make a difference for kids like Emma by supporting child health research – click here to make a gift now.