February 24, 2020
In the picture: Roseline Filion (Opération enfant soleil spokesperson), Christian Gagné (CEO of the CISSS Laval), Marie-Claude Collet (Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships, Cité de la Santé Foundation), Ariane Godbout (Acting Executive Assistant, Youth Program, CISSS de Laval), Marie-France Bédard (Chief, Pediatrics and Neonatology, CISSS de Laval), Linh Quach (Interim Coordinator of Perinatal and Pediatric Services, CISSS de Laval), Philippe Femiu (Opération Enfant Soleil spokesperson).
On February 12th, Opération Enfant Soleil granted funding for the Montreal and Laval regions to the Cité-de-la-Santé Hospital. The generous sum of $128,752 was donated, including a generous grant of $29,000 to the CISSS in Laval, through the Cité de la Santé Foundation. This amount will finance the purchase of equipment to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood, a vascular imaging system that will be used to view the veins in children more quickly while reducing pain, and a motorized treatment recliner that will reduce stress on the child while ensuring greater comfort.
The press conference was an opportunity for spokespersons Roseline Filion and Philippe Fehmiu to meet the nursing staff and to share the incredible story of Laval’s “Enfant-Soleil”, little Mikaële Laure Personna. Born at 34 weeks of pregnancy, the little girl was rushed to the Montreal Children’s Hospital a few days after returning home.
Doctors discovered numerous myofibromas lodged in her head, stomach, neck and throat. Hospitalized for over a year and a half, she underwent several surgeries and biopsies, as well as a multitude of tests. Unfortunately, no solution was found to effectively treat the masses. Now 3 years old, Mikaële Laure must be tube-fed and undergo continuous oxygen therapy. In spite of these ordeals, she keeps smiling, and nothing can stop her!