But there was one time when Dawson cried for himself that we particularly remember. It was shortly after we drove to Saskatoon. We had to go through registration at the emergency triage desk – it was loud and crowded. He was admitted, initially, to pediatric emergency department – the trip, though short, was down a hallway that could best be described as a tunnel – not very welcoming for a child.
Finally, as he was lying in his bed in pediatric emergency, he started to cry. When asked why he was crying, he said that he didn’t like this place and didn’t want to stay there. Who would? It was bright, noisy, and cramped and all that separated him from the chaos outside was a curtain around his bed. We assured him that he wouldn’t have to stay here long and that we were sure, when he got to his room, it would be much better. It was not.
On the pediatrics ward, Dawson was in a shared room with four beds. It wasn’t a very warm or inviting place for a child to be. There was no room for his many visitors and certainly no room for us to stay there with him. We took turns sleeping with him in his bed or lying on an old mattress on the floor. All night long, there were caregivers coming and going, tending to others in the room and it made for fitful sleeps.
Throughout Dawson’s time there, we learned that children have different fears than we, as adults do. They still need to be happy – they need to play – they need to have their parents near – they need to feel comfortable and they need to feel safe. As parents, we focused on getting the best care for Dawson. We have no doubt we had good people taking care of him but the facility made our short time there difficult. Looking back, it would be hard to imagine having a lengthy stay in that environment for either the child or the parents.
The new Childrens’ Hospital will be designed from the ground up to address these issues. Not only will a new state-of-the-art facility be able to attract the best and brightest professionals to give the best possible outcome, but it will also provide for a stay that’s as comfortable as possible for both the child and the parents. Children need a safe, comfortable place. Parents need to be there for the child and need to be capable of functioning at a time when their child needs them the most. Caregivers need access to the best technology available.
In Dawson’s memory, his family would like to continue Dawson’s love for life and his compassion for others. It is our intention, through events such as Skate4Smiles, to raise money and awareness for this important cause. All proceeds raised will be donated, in Dawson’s name to the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan.
Please give generously . . .
Mike, Carla and Alex Ellert
By any measure, 
