While Jillian and Tom Janzen knew their son would bring great joy to their life, they also knew he would face significant challenges.

Their son Patrick, who they call Paddy, was born with Down syndrome, a condition in which a baby is born with an extra 21^st chromosome that can cause delays in their mental and physical development.

They knew before Patrick was born that he had the diagnosis, so their family spent time learning about the available services and community support in the Niagara region.

“Feeling alone was probably one of the biggest challenges and with the nature of the world at the time, it was definitely amplified,” said Jillian Janzen. “Our biggest concern was not necessarily his diagnosis, but what complications or health issues that he might have that are common with a Down syndrome diagnosis.”

Shortly after her son was born, her family was referred to Niagara Children’s Centre by their doctor to receive further support. Janzen initially met with a social worker, who gathered information about her family and reviewed the services her son might access, before scheduling consultations with an Occupational Therapist (OT) once a month.

“The Infant program that Paddy is a part of really helps us as a family have direction and know the next steps and goals for Paddy and his development,” said Jillian Janzen.  “In working with the OT, we are able to access support in programming that will help develop his ability to hit important motor milestones, such as lifting his head, crawling, rolling, grabbing, self-feeding and eventually walking, talking and communicating.”

The Janzen’s have also accessed other services such as physiotherapy and speech therapy and participated in a mentor program that connects her with another parent that’s shared their experience and journey at the Centre.

“This community connection has been great at starting to get to know other families and alleviate that feeling of being alone,” she said.

Fast forward one year and her son is now one of the faces for Niagara Children’s Centre’s Help Kids Shine campaign, an annual fundraising event throughout the month of May.

“With demand for our services outpacing our funding, the campaign provides significant financial support for children and their families,” said Oksana Fisher, CEO, Niagara Children’s Centre. “We’re fortunate to have dedicated sponsors, proud ambassadors and an ongoing partnership with Bell Media stations Newstalk 610 CKTB, 97.7 HTZ FM and Move 105.7 and everyone who works at those stations.”

This year’s target is larger than ever with a $250,000 fundraising goal. To help the Centre achieve this year’s milestone, O’Hara Trucking & Excavating has signed on as the monthly donor matching sponsor, pledging up to $25,000 to monthly donations made during the campaign.

“Every dollar pledged by our community to support our children and families is tripled,” said Fisher. “Monthly donations provide a strong, sustainable source of funding that allows us to plan ahead and reduces our administration time spent processing donations.”

Supporting the Centre holds special meaning for the St. Catharines construction company. In 1984, Dan and Sharon O’Hara’s daughter Katie was born with hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the cavities deep within the brain.

“The Niagara Children’s Centre helped us so much,” said Sharon O’Hara. “They guided us through all the resources for funding and provided Katie with physiotherapy from physical to speech. I really got to know the staff and the other families and it was a welcoming community.”

Throughout the campaign, the Janzen family, along with 11 other ambassadors, will share their stories online and through radio interviews to educate the Niagara community about the therapy and support services the Centre provides.

“I think Niagara Children’s Centre is a lifeline for many children and families and by supporting the Centre you are ensuring that families have access to services that are really going to help improve their quality of life,” said Jillian Janzen. “By investing in the Centre, you are helping not just the children, but families and larger community.”

The Niagara community is encouraged to follow the Centre’s social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and tune in for upcoming radio interviews with broadcast partner Bell Media properties such as 610 CKTB to learn more about how they can support the Centre.

“By investing, you are saying that you believe that children with special needs are important enough to deserve access to services that are going to allow them to reach their potential,” she said. “You are saying that they matter and the services they need matter as well.”

Visit HelpKidsShine.ca to learn more about this year’s ambassadors and to see how your donation can help provide every child in Niagara with the opportunity to reach their full potential.

About Niagara Children’s Centre:  

Niagara Children’s Centre provided rehabilitation and support services to over 5,800 children and youth last year across the Niagara Region with physical, developmental and communicative delays.  The range of services include: physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language services, augmentative and alternative communication, family services and therapeutic recreation.

For further information contact:

Marla Smith, Director of Development

905-688-1890 ext. 106

marla.smith@niagarachildrenscentre.com

www.niagarachildrenscentre.com