Hockey inspires Sylvan Lake girl in battle with Tourette’s

Deanna has been by Hailey’s side ever since helping her to navigate the understandably scary waters of being diagnosed with something.

“I informed the teacher because kids are curious by nature, not necessarily because she was being bullied, but kids can be indifferent sometimes. They’d say things like ‘Why are you acting so weird?’ and Hailey would say ‘I can’t help that I’m doing these things so don’t make fun of me.'”

Hailey, known to teammates as #McHailey because of her hero Connor McDavid, is going into her fourth season with Sylvan Lake Minor Hockey.

“Don’t let challenges define who you are,” Hailey says has become her motto. “Don’t let challenges push away everything you do like playing hockey, going to school, and living your regular life. Just have fun.”

The aforementioned photo shoot has helped boost Hailey’s confidence in a big way.

“I let her take the reins with the entire photo shoot, right down to the colour of her laces which are normally red for her team,” Deanna says. “I wanted this to be about her, sharing her story, and be about empowering other girls struggling with other challenges. This wasn’t just meant to be about her specific diagnosis. No matter what it is, you can do it. Girls can play hockey and still be feminine and do whatever.”

It’s unknown precisely how the TTD will affect Hailey’s life going forward. Tics can come and go for days, weeks or even months at a time. Deanna notes she’s responded well to a low-sugar diet, and there is some expectation that once she gets through her teens, symptoms could dissipate.

“This has meant we had to tell people her story, and it’s hard as a parent,” Deanna admits.

“We’ve been flooded with messages from all over Canada and the US, and from friends on Facebook saying how brave they think Hailey is, and people telling me they have the same thing and that they’re embarrassed and didn’t want to tell anybody, and people saying they’re going to show this to their daughter.”

Jennifer Donnelly with Donnelly Photography has been snapping photos of Hailey for five years. She initially thought up the shoot with capturing her passion for hockey in mind.

(Donnelly Photography)

“We’ve even done photo shoots with her Edmonton Oilers shirt, and her mom’s always posting pictures of her on the ice. She’s always talking about hockey and is one of those dedicated players,” Donnelly says. “She’s not a super girly girl so I thought, you know what, beauty isn’t necessarily about wearing a dress, it’s about being strong and confident.

“At the end, Deanna let me know she had Tourette’s and I couldn’t believe it. She was just so into the photo shoot. When she had the crown and dress on with the stick, she looked like a warrior princess ready for battle.”

The youngster even received a personal message from her other hockey hero Hayley Wickenheiser — note the first name — after the hockey legend was contacted by her mom. Wickenheiser finished her message by saying, “anything is possible.”

Hailey has told her mother she wants to become either a doctor (like Wickenheiser) or play professional hockey, perhaps even in the NHL.

Deanna informed her daughter that women don’t play in the NHL.

Hailey’s response… “Not yet.”

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Hockey inspires Sylvan Lake girl in battle with Tourette’s

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