Help Emma to enjoy the outdoors

Emma the fighter, Emma the warrior, is a young girl who has overcome many obstacles since her premature birth in 2011. Despite complex health problems, she has shown incredible resilience and unwavering determination to fully live her life.

Emma's early years were marked by health complications, requiring medical treatments and frequent hospitalizations. We had to face many challenges, but they were always there for her, providing support and love.

Emma has had to deal with respiratory problems, eating disorders, growth issues, and a multitude of other difficulties. Despite all this, she has continued to fight and persevere. We found creative ways to help her communicate and express herself, including using communication tablets.

Over the years, Emma has developed a passion for movies and thrill-seeking. She enjoys watching Walt Disney films and enjoying high-speed rides. We always sought to offer her joyful and memorable experiences despite the challenges she faces.

In 2017, Emma had the chance to fulfill her wish thanks to the Make-A-Wish organization. Her wish was to meet all the Disney princesses at Walt Disney World in Florida. Unfortunately, she fell ill during the trip, but that did not diminish her determination. Her will to live and enjoy life is inspiring.

I recently experienced my own health challenges and went through a separation that necessitated relocating to a new home which needed to be adapted to accommodate Emma's needs. We are surrounded by love and support from our family and friends. Despite ongoing challenges, we

remain optimistic and eager to enjoy every moment.

To help Emma fulfill her dream of having an adapted bike that would allow her to enjoy the outdoors, I am reaching out to the generosity and support of others. Every donation, no matter the amount, can make a real difference in Emma's life and bring her immense joy.

Together, we can offer Emma the chance to experience outdoor adventures, feel the speed, and create precious memories with her family. Thank you for your support and generosity. Your contribution means a lot and brings us closer to our goal.

Now that you have read our condense version of our story. If you want more the full version is below. Thank you again for reading.

Emma the survivor, Emma the warrior,

Emma, born on June 3, 2011, premature at 27 weeks. Her first months were difficult, with many ups and downs. Her mother had to stay at the Sainte-Justine Hospital in a small, rented room for 7 months to stay close to her. Emma came home on December 24, 2011. A beautiful Christmas gift.

During her early years, she came close to death several times, requiring daily resuscitation. Her family lived in fear of losing her every day. In the beginning, they thought her health problems and overall delay were related to her prematurity, but her mom felt that wasn't the case.

Emma's early years were marked by many health complications, including chronic respiratory failure, asthma, hypoglycemia, growth hormone deficiency, feeding disorders requiring tube feeding, adrenal insufficiency, osteopenia, hypoacusis in her left ear requiring a hearing aid, arthrogryposis and clubfoot requiring orthotics, sleep disorders, intellectual disability, motor delay, lack of speech, epilepsy seizures, choking, and secretion problems.

Emma required oxygen and tube feeding 24/7. A year and a half later, her mom, after a lot of research and studies, found the perfect combination of blended foods that helped control her hypoglycemia, allowing her to receive only 4 feedings per day and 2 snacks. To control her blood sugar, Emma needs to eat every 2 to 3 hours, and after more than a year, the oxygen is limited to during sleep only.

At the age of 4 months, she started receiving Botox injections to control her hyperactive salivary glands. She had three operations to enlargen her throat in hopes she would be able to swallow and help control her saliva to reduce her choking incidents, unfortunately these were not successful. The family then decided to remove her salivary glands to try to reduce hospitalizations.

The removal of her salivary glands helped reduce the problems but didn't completely stop the secretions and aspirations. During the first 6 years, Emma had to go to the Sainte-Justine Hospital many times, too many to count, and now that hospital is considered their second home.

As she grew up, Emma developed an interest in Walt Disney movies, which became a reward to encourage her to engage in other activities. The family also discovered that Emma had a deeper understanding and could communicate using a communication tablet.

In 2016 they finally received a diagnose Schaaf-Yang Syndrome. A rare disease that has strong ties to Prader Willi Syndrome. Emma was case number 32 at the time only 140 worldwide.

In 2017, Emma was eligible for a wish from the Make-A-Wish organization. Her wish was to meet all the Disney princesses at Walt Disney World in Florida. The trip was planned for February 2017, but Emma fell ill on the first day in Florida and was hospitalized. After fighting RSV and influenza, she had to be intubated. Despite these difficulties, Emma showed great willpower to live. She was finally able to return to Canada after a few weeks but was subsequently paralyzed. After many weeks in intensive care and rehabilitation, Emma regained her mobility but remains weak in her legs.

Emma has fragile lungs and is prone to pneumonia due to aspiration of her secretions. Despite this, the family has managed to find a new routine, and life has resumed its course.

In 2020, they decided to expand and adapt their house to suit Emma's needs, however during that time her mom was diagnosed with cancer, and her dad distanced himself from the family. It was a difficult year for her mom, who had to manage chemotherapy, try to save her relationship, and take care of Emma all during the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckly she was blessed with many good friends to help with Emma.

Finally, in December 2021, the mom and Emma moved to a smaller house to start a new life. The path to physical and mental healing has been long, but now they are in a house that meets all of their needs. The mom met an extraordinary man who is very caring towards her and Emma, and they are starting a new life together as a family in Terrebonne. Emma and her mom are healthy at the moment and want to enjoy life and stay active.

They have explored various activities to discover Emma's interests. Her main passion is movies because she doesn't have much mobility. From a young age, she enjoyed watching TV, but she also discovered the use of Android/iPad tablets, which allow her to easily manipulate the touchscreen. The two things that make Emma happy are movies and thrills. She enjoys swinging very fast, speed, sliding at the park or on snow. They took Emma to water slides, and she loved it, but unfortunately as she got older and bigger, her mom wasn’t able to carry her to the top of the slide. In winter, they go tubing, and she loves going up and down at high speeds. She also enjoys her stepfather pushing her wheelchair at high speeds in skate parks. This year, they even went on rides at a midway, the Tilt a World, bumper cars and the pirate ship were her favorite.

For the past two summers, they have been playing with the idea of a carriage pulled by a bicycle. The problem is that Emma is getting too big and heavy for this type of carriage, and she can't see what's happening around her, which eventually makes her fall asleep.

However, they were introduced to adapted bicycles where they pedal and Emma sits in front, there she can see and experience everything. They were fortunate enough to try out different adapted bikes. Thanks to Trivel this was a wonderful experience.

Following this positive experience and Emma's smiling eyes, they are very interested in acquiring an adapted bike for her. Emma is very limited in activities that distract her from her iPad, so when they find an activity that brings a smile to her face, they want to make the most of it. This specialized bike would allow her to enjoy the outdoors and have a unique experience. Unfortunately, the cost of this adapted bike is very high, making it difficult for her family to afford it.

That's why they are reaching out for your generosity and support. They firmly believe that every child deserves moments of happiness and the simple joys of life. Your contribution could help Emma fulfill this dream and create precious memories with her family.

Every donation is appreciated, no matter the amount. This will provide Emma the chance to have outdoor adventures, feel the speed, and enjoy the beauty of nature. Your support can make a real difference in Emma's life and bring her immense joy.

They thank you from the bottom of their hearts for your support and generosity. Your contribution brings them closer to their goal. Together, they can offer Emma a life filled with happiness, love, and opportunities.

Thank you again for your support.