Michael

When Michael celebrated his second birthday, his family had no idea that within days they would need to rush him to HSC Children’s Hospital and step into a world that would become their second home for more than two years.

In November 2022, Michael’s parents, Mary and Morris, were told to go straight to Children’s Emergency after abnormal bloodwork. “Looking at the notes I took during that call now, it barely looks like my writing,” Mary says. “I was in a complete state of shock.”

That night, Michael was admitted to CK5 – the childhood cancer and blood disorders unit where he received emergency blood and platelet transfusions. A whirlwind of procedures came the next morning: a PICC insertion, bone marrow biopsy, lumbar puncture, heart tests, which all led to a B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosis.

It started a 2.5-year journey of chemotherapy, countless procedures, and more days and nights on CK5 than the family cares to remember.

Today, Michael is energetic, athletic, funny, a new kindergartener, and his family credits the extraordinary care at Children’s Hospital for carrying them through the most difficult time of their lives.

CK5 is being completely transformed to better support kids like Michael who face some of the toughest battles imaginable. The unit cares for children facing cancer, blood disorders, and those who need transplants. Many patients stay weeks at a time, some even months.

Manager of patient services for CK5 Dana Augst spent more than 20 years as a bedside nurse in the ward. She says she’s very passionate about this ward and the patients who need it.

She’s witnessed countless families arrive overwhelmed and leave with hope and she knows exactly what this renovation will mean.

“This is a specialized unit,” she explains. “The whole area is HEPA-filtered and positive pressure, so patients can safely walk all around the ward. Our bone marrow transplant patients stay about six to eight weeks, so the environment really matters.”

For years, the layout made excellent care possible, but not easy. Some patient rooms didn’t have bathrooms. Equipment was awkwardly positioned. Families had little space to have a meal, gather, or rest. There wasn’t a dedicated treatment room either, meaning procedures sometimes happened in a child’s bedroom – a place meant to feel safe.

Dana helped reimagine the upgrade to the ward too. “I created a wish list,” she says. “We wanted bathrooms in each room, a treatment room and a family kitchen. Everything we asked for was approved.”

As construction continues, CK5 is being redesigned to give families more comfort, privacy, dignity and space to heal. From emergency oxygen to call bells, everything is being re-positioned with patients, families and nurses in mind.

A new, fully equipped treatment room will allow IV starts, dressing changes, and other procedures to happen outside a patient’s bedroom. The updated kitchen will have a fridge, microwave, counter space, and seating – giving families a place to eat, meet, or speak privately with health care teams.

For the Stern family, CK5 became more than a hospital floor. It became a place of safety during a time of uncertainty.

“Our experience and level of care was beyond what we could have hoped for,” Mary says. “Everyone involved – the oncologists, nurses, PDU staff, CancerCare staff – were the most patient and loving human beings I have ever encountered. Children’s became like a second home. It’s not just a hospital, it’s a place filled with hope.”

Michael finished active treatment in March 2025. Today he is strong, sweet, funny, and thriving in school. He continues to have check-ups every three months, with fewer over time.

The Sterns know firsthand the impact an updated unit will have on families who are beginning their own cancer journey.

“The unit is where so many families begin the fight of their lives,” Mary says. “Upgrading CK5 means more comfort, better technology, and more space. It’s about giving kids the best possible environment to heal, a space that is soothing, warm, and feels like your home away from home.”

Dana agrees.

“Children and their families have always had excellent care, 100 per cent of the time,” she says. “This renovation will make it even better.”

Mary shares her family’s experience so others know they’re not alone.

“We want to be that light for other families,” she says. “The positive stories we heard gave us hope for Michael.”

And to anyone who supports Children’s Hospital, her message is simple.

“Thank you. Your generosity allowed our son to receive such excellent care close to home. You didn’t just help save his life, you helped restore joy and normalcy to our family.”

Your generous gift will refresh CK5, the childhood cancer and blood disorders ward at HSC Children’s hospital, creating welcoming, child-friendly spaces where kids like Michael can heal with dignity. Donate today.