Calgary Grandma calls on ‘heroes’ to support radiothon
Global News
A specialized piece of equipment saved Oliver's life, and the lives of many other children.
Janel Johnson is calling on everyday people to become heroes by donating to the 19th Annual Country 105 Caring for Kids Radiothon in support of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation (ACHF).
“If you can donate, you’re changing the life of these little guys, you’re helping them save their lives,” said Johnson, whose infant grandson Oliver underwent a very risky but successful brain operation at the Alberta Children’s Hospital (ACH) last year.
“You know, when nobody thought they’d make it through something traumatic, you’re actually being a hero and helping save them,” said Johnson.
She is sharing Oliver’s story publicly to raise awareness and funds for new, state-of-the-art neurological precision kits that will make operations like Oliver’s safer while potentially providing better outcomes for kids need them.
After he was born two months premature by emergency C-section, Oliver spent the following 42 days at the Peter Lougheed Hospital before he was allowed to go home right around the May long weekend of 2021.
“He was home for about three weeks. He was acting normal. We didn’t know he was sick. He wasn’t showing any signs that he was sick,” said Johnson.
Johnson said that once Oliver did start showing signs he was sick, things went downhill fast.
“The night before (he was brought into hospital) he stopped eating. He ate one feed before (we) put him to bed and he slept through the night, which was totally not like him because he was a newborn baby,” explained Johnson.