Meet Jack, your 2025 Manitoba Champion Child

Tenacious boy with cerebral palsy announced as Manitoba’s 2025 Champion Child

Winnipeg, Treaty One Territory (February 6, 2025) –Manitoba’s newest Champion Child today was welcomed by family and friends waving flags of his image to celebrate and start his Champion year. Jack – a tenacious, funny and happy kid – was announced by Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba at Walmart, St. Vital Centre.

“We are forever grateful for HSC Children’s Hospital giving us the best gift we’ve ever known, the opportunity to be Jack’s parents,” says Jack’s mom Samantha. 

Jack was born premature at 26 weeks along with his twin brother Jori. The twins were a combined weight of less than five pounds. Sadly, Jack’s brother died at just 6 days old and Jack struggled with hydrocephalus – an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) deep within the brain that puts harmful pressure inside the skull.

He had four more brain surgeries before age two.

Jack as also diagnosed with spastic diplegia, a type of cerebral palsy that affects Jack’s lower body. Muscles in his hips and legs got so tight he couldn’t walk.

Thanks to the care he received from health care heroes at HSC Children’s Hospital, Jack is now an energetic mobile nine-year old who loves doing everyday things like cleaning. He like mopping and gets a kick out of his friend Stanley the family’s digital vacuum. He also likes doing arts and crafts, fishing, and flying kites. And he loves collecting flags of any kind!

Jack’s struggles aren’t over. He will continue to need the expert care of Manitoba’s only Children’s Hospital.

His parents understand that child health research then translates to care at Children’s Hospitals that helped their son survive and thrive. The research at Children’s is important because the advances in provide the ability for children like Jack to explore the world in ways that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

“The research is important for children like Jack because with the advances in medication and knowledge it provides the ability for children like Jack to survive,” says Jack’s dad, Jason. “Then the specialists at the hospital have that knowledge and their expertise really helps us stay informed and calm because we know the best people are taking care of the situation,”

Being a Champion Child means that Jack and his parents join a group of ambassadors from across North America that support their local children’s hospitals. The Champion program is part of Canada’s Children’s Hospitals Foundations (CCHF) and the Children’s Miracle Network in Canada and the U.S.  Jack and his parents will attend several speaking events this year to share his story to raise funds for HSC Children’s Hospital in Manitoba. 

“We are so grateful to have Jack and his family represent HSC Children’s Hospital and the 140,000 kids who are cared for there every year,” says Stefano Grande, President & CEO of Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.

“Jack’s family have bravely shared their journey to raise funds and awareness for the amazing work happening every day at Manitoba’s only children’s hospital as well as child health research happening right here at Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba.”