The Nagal family have three children that have used the Stollery. Emma, 17, has been diagnosed with MCADD, a disease where the body can’t turn fat into energy and a muscle disease. She is the only person in the world with both diseases and the two treatments are polar opposites. Because MCADD is life threatening they can’t treat her muscle disease so she must use her wheelchair more often is and in a lot of pain as her muscles slowly deteriorate. Cameron, 10, was born early and stayed in the NICU for several weeks. He has a tethered spinal cord similar to spina bifida. He was also diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at age four.

Their third child, Sophia, was born a seemingly healthy girl in May 2007. Three days later she stopped breathing and died in her parents’ arms. It was later discovered she had MCADD, the same disease her sister Emma is living with now. Emma was diagnosed just six months after Sophia passed away.

Lauchlin was born at just 25 weeks and spent 25 days in the Stollery NICU at the Royal Alexandra Hospital where he was on a ventilator for seven weeks, received laser eye surgery and a lot of feeding support. Since then, he’s visited the Stollery for numerous follow-up visits including physical therapy, occupational therapy, ophthalmology and neurosurgery. Lauchlin and his parents join J’lyn Nye to share his journey.

Adam was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension the day before his second birthday. He’s since been in and out of the Stollery since 2011 and will continue as there is no cure for his disease. He and his mom join J’lyn Nye to share their story.

At nine months old, Kaily got sick and was transferred from Ponoka to Red Deer to the Stollery and was treated for bronchitis which elevated to seizures. Since then, she has been admitted to the Stollery 150 times. This brave girl and her parents join J’lyn Nye live from the Stollery to share her story.

GUEST: Alberta Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer.