Ryland Noble
At just five weeks old, Ryland was diagnosed with aqueductal stenosis, a blockage in the brain that makes him dependent on a shunt in his head to stay alive.
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Torrie received a shocking diagnosis of a rare blood disease at nine years old. Two weeks before her diagnosis, Torrie noticed some unusual symptoms while she was at a dance competition with a sore throat, loss of appetite, and a mysterious rash. She was admitted with a low platelet count, and soon after had no platelet count at all so she was airlifted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit by the Saskatchewan Paediatric Transport Team.
She was soon diagnosed with Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) Autoimmune Blood Disease which can be fatal if not treated right away. Luckily for Torrie, a new Pheresis machine was purchased by donors just six months prior to her diagnosis. Without the Pheresis machine, children like Torrie would have to travel out of province for treatment – a long trip for a child in such a critical condition.
Torrie would later be diagnosed with illness anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Torrie’s story took another shocking turn in early 2020 when she was diagnosed with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation in one or more parts of the body. Now not only is Torrie navigating a rare blood disease, but she has another serious condition to learn to live with.
To keep her health in check, Torrie gets blood work done every few months and visits a paediatric hematologist at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital every 3 months. To help her cope with her mental health she also visits her counsellor regularly to help her stay positive and hopeful for the future as she adjusts to her new condition. Despite everything Torrie is determined to not let her disease take away her quality of life and continues to enjoy each day with her friends and family.
