The generosity of dedicated companies like yours helps ensure the best in healthcare for thousands of children across the province, like Elia. Discover the story of the little sunshine who lights up the Entreprise Enfant Soleil movement with her sweet and courageous face.
"Mom, my tummy hurts..." What all parents have heard countless times before would turn out to be serious for little Elia, 3 years old.
Last September, Elia and her parents spent a weekend with friends at a cottage. Feeding the chickens, playing outside... everything was a source of joy. On Monday, when she came home from daycare, Elia was not feeling well. At first, they thought it was just the usual stomach flu, but very quickly her parents, Virginie and Marc André, worried and sensed that something was wrong.
When the pain becomes so unbearable that she can no longer even get up, they rush to CHU Sainte-Justine.
An unexpected diagnosis
The results come back: a perforated appendix, a rare diagnosis in a 3-year-old. Elia's infection levels are also well above normal. Emergency surgery is needed to clean her abdomen and remove her appendix. It's a lot to take in at once, but Elia is a fighter and keeps her spirits up. An intelligent and curious little girl, she asks the doctor questions about what to expect. She undergoes surgery that same evening.
Virginie and Marc André are heartbroken to see their daughter taken to the operating room. After more than an hour of anxious waiting, the surgeon returns with a reassuring smile: "Everything went extremely well." He would only later tell them that he would remember Elia for the rest of his life because of the severity of her infection.
A battle that goes on
The following 48 hours are difficult. Elia is in a lot of pain, yet she manages to get up to regain her strength. Seven days after the surgery, she is riding a tricycle through the hallways, greeting the other children and charming all the staff with her big smile.
The recovery then becomes complicated: a follow-up ultrasound reveals an infection with rare bacteria. New antibiotics, new tests... The days stretch on at the hospital. After two long weeks, Elia finally goes home, but continues to take two antibiotics three times a day, one of which tastes particularly awful. The treatment eventually takes effect and, after five weeks, the infection has finally cleared up.
A return to normal
The surgery and prolonged antibiotic treatment, however, left their mark: intestinal and urinary issues persisted for several months. Today, at 4 years old, Elia is radiantly healthy. A final follow-up is scheduled this fall with the CHU Sainte-Justine team to definitively close this painful chapter. In the meantime, the family is fully enjoying their summer! Elia runs, laughs, goes camping and counts the days until she can get back to jiu-jitsu in September.
Heartfelt thanks to Elia and her parents, Virginie and Marc André, for generously sharing their story with us.
