Sydnee with her mom, Michelle. (Photo: Chinook's Edge School Division)

By Chinook's Edge School Division

Children’s Miracle Network

Didsbury high school student shows “Heart of a Champion”

Feb 5, 2020 | 1:15 PM

Sixteen year-old Sydnee thinks it’s ‘super cool’ to be selected as one of only 12 young people named as Champions – an understated response given the massive medical struggles she has recently worked to overcome! It does, however, speak to the strength of character that helped her succeed.

Sydnee was ‘a regular happy, active kid’ until January 2018, when she started experiencing shortness of breath. A cardiologist discovered she had been walking around with a serious heart condition since the day she was born and needed immediate surgery. As if that wasn’t enough shock, Sydnee ended up having a massive stroke after surgery. She spent two weeks in an Edmonton hospital, then was transferred to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary where she spent the next six months.

“Up until then, I was living a perfectly normal life,” said Sydnee. “I love dancing and was into many different forms of dance. My worry was that the surgery might impact my dance and unfortunately it did. The good thing is that I’ve been able to start volunteering at jazz and ballet lessons with younger students. I’m going to keep teaching, because it feels so good to be successful doing something with dance again.”

It’s been a hard climb back to the dance studio for her. The stroke left her paralyzed on her right side, and unable to speak or write. Her recovery involved a whole team of therapists, specialists and onsite education.

“I started getting stronger with time and through a lot of work with the hospital team. There was no way I was going to get back to my normal self without them. I’m able to be at school for half days now and I’m also taking a class through Didsbury Career High. My dream is to walk the stage with my grad class next year.”

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That positivity is what set Sydnee on her path to wellness and what led to her nomination as Champion Child.

“I get to travel to Orlando in April to speak at a conference about what the hospital has done for me and my family. Actually, my whole family will be helping with events throughout the year. We all want to give back to the hospital that has given so much to me. I had to learn to walk again and I’m still navigating with a bit of a limp. I had to learn to talk and spell again – it’s like I was a toddler. But I said my first word on my parents’ anniversary, so there have been little celebrations along the way.”

Sydnee has attended Chinook’s Edge schools in Didsbury her whole life. Her younger sister Kaenna is in Grade 8 at Westglen School, Mom Michelle is an EA at Didsbury High, and her dad Ron works in the oil field.

“All of this came as such a shock,” said Michelle. “We are so lucky she’s still with us and it’s because of all the special staff at the children’s hospital. They provide phenomenal care for the whole family and we’re all dedicated to supporting Sydnee’s role as Champion Child. Many kids have gone through so much at that hospital and they chose our little Sydnee? We couldn’t be more proud of her!”

(Sandy Bexon)