This year, over $140,000 is being donated in Gaspésie to improve the care journey of children in the region. Enfant Soleil supports more than a hundred healthcare establishments across the province, in addition to offering essential support to the four major pediatric centres, which provide specialized and superspecialized care accessible to all children in need.
Discover two projects that will make our little sunshines glow with health
Rehabilitation spaces will be created for pediatric clients at the Centre de réadaptation de Gaspé and the Centre de réadaptation Bonaventure. These environments will be colourful and stimulating, enabling occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists and specialized educators to carry out play-based therapies.
The new spaces will foster children’s engagement, enthusiasm and interest in their rehabilitation. Developed in collaboration with the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, these spaces will enhance the therapies for nearly 300 young patients who receive care at these centres each year.
Other supported projects in the region
Laryngoscope
This device, adapted to the size of children and designed to ensure their comfort and reduce anxiety, facilitates the examination of the throat, nose and larynx.
Ventilator
Adapted for newborns and pediatric patients, this device will allow medical teams to provide respiratory assistance tailored to children experiencing respiratory distress.
Physiological monitor*
This device provides real-time monitoring of vital signs in children, supporting a more responsive and tailored care approach. Thanks to the data received, healthcare teams can quickly adjust treatments to maximize the chances of recovery.
Neonatal and pediatric code cart
This cart, along with its integrated equipment, ensures that necessary care is provided during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It enables a rapid response to urgent needs and could save the life of a child or newborn.
*Project jointly funded by Enfant Soleil and the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.
Transport incubator
This essential incubator ensures the safe and quick transport of a newborn in a critical or unstable condition, requiring urgent transfer by ambulance.
Laryngoscope
Designed for children, this device reduces discomfort and allows for an accurate examination of the throat, nose and larynx.
Bilirubinometer
This device facilitates the detection of jaundice by quickly, gently and safely measuring bilirubin levels in a baby’s blood.
Phototherapy lamps
For the effective treatment of jaundice, a condition affecting approximately 60% of full-term newborns and up to 80% of premature babies. With a larger exposure surface, these lamps provide optimal treatment, allowing for quicker recovery and earlier discharge.
*Project jointly funded by Enfant Soleil and the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.
Bilirubinometer
This device enables rapid, gentle and safe jaundice detection by measuring bilirubin levels in a baby’s blood.
*Project jointly funded by Enfant Soleil and the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.
Sensory room setup
The creation of this new sensory room will give the rehabilitation team a dedicated space for carrying out therapeutic and exploratory interventions tailored to children with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder or physical disabilities.
It will serve as an intervention tool for managing stress, anxiety and sensory modulation. It will also help build trust, support behaviour management and promote positive reinforcement.
*Project jointly funded by Enfant Soleil and the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.
Conan Dunn, Gaspésie’s Enfant Soleil
He and his family help the cause shine in their region.
Conan has had health challenges since birth. Doctors suspected hemophilia before he was even born, and an umbilical cord blood test confirmed those early concerns.
In June 2022, COVID-19 hit the entire family. Shortly after, Conan became unusually thirsty. A blood test in the emergency room revealed alarmingly high glucose levels, suggesting diabetes. Conan and his family went to the hospital in Rimouski the following week to try to find the cause of his mysterious stomach pain, which appeared shortly after his type 1 diabetes diagnosis. Blood tests at the Centre Mère-Enfant Soleil at the CHU de Québec revealed celiac disease, a condition affecting only 2% of hemophiliacs. Despite all this, Conan remains a happy child, determined not to let his illness get him down.