By Sarah Stone

Pediatric unit staff create family environment for patients

Dec 4, 2014 | 5:36 AM

If you have to take you child to the hospital, at least you can count on the pediatric unit staff to treat them like family.

That’s according to Colleen Moody whose son, nine-year-old Evan, has had to go back and forth between the Victoria Hospital and Edmonton’s children’s hospital to treat his congenital nevus.  The nevus, which is like a large birthmark, has to be removed through surgeries to ensure it doesn’t cause cancer.

Although most of Evan’s medical care has to be delivered in Edmonton because of how specialized it is, that hasn’t stopped Victoria Hospital’s staff from giving their all, according to Colleen.

“They’ve helped us in every which way they can going to the [pediatric] ward is just a welcoming feeling because you’re cared for, you’re looked after and everyone is so friendly and nice and it’s a wonderful place to be if you have to be in the hospital,” she said from the road on her way to Edmonton with Evan.

“All the doctors and nurses in Prince Albert, like when we have an infection or something goes wrong, they are right there helping us and getting us through it and trying to save us any extra trips to Edmonton as they can.”

Real estate

P.A.'s supply of housing for sale drops to 3 months

4h ago

Bodybuilding

Prince Albert bodybuilder wins top prize at regional competition

7h ago

Riderville

Riders seem confident heading into trading camp

11h ago

She jokes that the staff call her family “frequent flyers.”

“Everybody knows Evan … it’s honestly like going home when we go in there,” she said.

When Colleen heard the money from this year’s Give A Little Life radio-a-thon will go into the nursery and pediatric units, she said she was thrilled because the staff deserves the best equipment.

“They were very excited and super pumped,” she said about the staff members who are trying to raise money.

Even Evan wants to get involved in the campaign. Colleen said her will be donating everything in his piggybank to the cause and is challenging other nine year olds to give as well.

“We are so fortunate to have the quality of doctors and nurses that we have … the level of care we get there is second to none.”

Give A Little Life day will start at 6 a.m. on Friday and will run until 6 p.m. For more information about how you can donate to help purchase new equipment for the pediatric and nursery units, click here. 

sstone@panow.com

On Twitter: @sarahstone84