
"Enfant Soleil is for us a sign of hope. It is an ally that allows Maverick to receive the proper care and equipment.", say Maverick's parents.
A complex medical journey
At just four years old, Maverick has a complex medical history. It all started when he was only five weeks old. Persistent fever led to a hospital visit, where he underwent various tests, including a lumbar puncture. The results were normal, showing nothing abnormal. At three months, he was again urgently hospitalized due to septic shock (acute circulatory failure resulting in a sudden drop in blood pressure) caused by a gastroenteritis virus. During this period, the little boy was irritable, cried continuously, and became rigid—quality moments were rare for the family. At six months, Maverick had to be intubated at the La Pocatière Hospital after another septic shock and respiratory failure. He was then immediately transferred to the Soleil Mother-Child Center at the CHU de Québec–Université Laval. "We prayed so much for him to come back with us," his mother recalls.
Tests with no answers
The illness affecting him left specialists perplexed. Several tests were conducted, revealing that Maverick had high blood pressure, which might have caused his heart failure. But why was his health deteriorating so suddenly and rapidly? Kept in intensive care for two weeks, and then for a month at the CMES at the CHU, he underwent several tests, but unfortunately, no clear answers emerged. A renal artery stenosis (narrowing of the renal artery) was suspected, but the doctors were cautious and chose not to operate on Maverick. Surgery was unlikely to stabilize his condition, and the stenosis was located in a dangerous area. The risk of losing a kidney was too high. In the spring of 2022, following a gastroenteritis episode combined with COVID-19, Maverick experienced low oxygen levels and went into convulsions again. His parents rushed him to the emergency department at La Pocatière Hospital in panic.
A life turned upside down
During the ambulance ride to the CMES Intensive Care Unit at the CHU, the emergency team had to stop at the Hôtel-Dieu Hospital in Lévis to stabilize Maverick's condition. "Maverick was a hair's breadth away from death," recalls his father. The doctors discovered that Maverick had a sodium deficiency, which was causing his brain to swell and triggered the convulsions. A month later, the doctors continued their investigation, and genetic tests were conducted. They also performed an MRI, which came back clear, ruling out epilepsy as a possible cause. For his parents, the anxiety and vigilance imposed by Maverick's condition completely changed their daily lives. They know that everything can change in a matter of minutes. "Without a diagnosis, we still live in the unknown, in constant worry," says Sophie. Constant monitoring, strict medication schedules—Maverick’s parents have reorganized their lives around his needs. Today, Maverick must sleep every night with a powerful machine to manage his frequent respiratory pauses. He receives daily injections at home because he does not produce enough growth hormone. His medication has been adjusted to normalize his blood pressure, and his immune system remains very vulnerable to any virus. For this reason, the family's bags are always packed, in case of an emergency visit to the hospital. In 2024, Maverick was diagnosed with ROHHAD syndrome, a rare disease whose causes are not yet fully understood. Despite the challenges, Maverick is excelling in the milestones and learning typical for children his age. He is a loving and cooperative little boy, who brings joy to those around him.
"We know the road ahead will be long for Maverick, but we also know he’ll keep fighting, one step at a time. to support us in this fight. Every donation matters—thank you from the bottom of our hearts," share his parents.
– Sophie Bélanger, Éric Bouchard, and Raphaël (7 years old)
The strength of little Maverick
