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In another initiative to address the pressing youth mental health needs in the region and relieve pressure on the emergency department, CHEO unveiled its new Mental Health Transitional Unit. Located close to the Emergency Department, this new short-stay transitional space will focus on providing children and youth safe and specialized care with mental health professional.

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• Improvements made

Although architects and engineers are primarily behind the design of CHEO’s soon-to-be-built innovative Integrated Treatment Centre on the CHEO campus, families have already been playing a critical role in helping to inform the new state-of-the art space. That’s right—parents of children on their journey of care have been contributing design ideas and feedback based on their real-world experience.

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Who comes to mind when you think of love? You might think of your parents, your partner, your children, your grandparents, or your pets. For Dawn Pickering, she recently discovered a different kind of love – one for the medical team that saves your child’s life.

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As adults, we know how scary it is to come to the hospital, especially as a child. There are many unfamiliar faces, loud noises and overwhelmed patients and families.

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After suffering a grand mal seizure at nine years old, Lily was sent to CHEO’s Neurology Clinic. She was diagnosed with Polymicrogyria, an abnormal development of the brain that can cause seizure activity, learning problems and other disabilities.

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Pablo came to CHEO through the Emergency Department as a youth experiencing suicidal ideation and struggling with intrusive thoughts. Pablo had noticed his symptoms as early as seven-years-old, but his family knew he needed help when his symptoms started to prevent him from enjoying life.

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Shelby and Rick are the proud parents of a sweet little baby girl named Olivia. When Olivia was born, in those same moments of incredible joy Shelby and Rick’s world was shaken when they found out she had the diagnosis of Zellweger Syndrome, a rare and severely life limiting metabolic disorder.

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Malakai, is a bubbly six-year-old who came into the world as a premature baby. After his parents noticed reoccurring symptoms, Malakai was back at CHEO where he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 17 months old.

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