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Tallyn & Lette’s Radiothon Story

Tallyn has always had an interest in the brain – specifically, her big sister Lette’s brain. At 18 months old, Tallyn learned to count by listening and watching her mom time the duration of Lette’s brain seizures. Lette has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, and her journey with the Alberta Children’s Hospital has been a big part of her family’s lives.

In the beginning, Lette’s epilepsy was being controlled with one medication and she was learning to walk – then the seizures began. Some days she would experience hundreds of them. Most were brief, others were more frightening. Diets didn’t work, neither did medications. Lette had her first brain surgery at six and others would follow under the careful hands of Dr. Walter Hader.

 

To relieve Lette of the seizures that continued to plague her, she underwent a second brain operation at the age of seven. When the second surgery failed, she was fitted with a vagus nerve stimulator, a pacemaker for the brain, which has helped control the number of seizures. A new medication has further helped bring relief. Non-verbal for most her life, the reprieve from seizures has allowed Lette’s vocabulary to grow – mom had waited 10 years to hear her daughter finally say “love you.”

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Lette’s cerebral palsy means she lacks control of her muscles and has trouble walking. She wears a futuristic exoskeleton called Trexo, Canadian-made technology that functions like a wearable, robotic device, allowing kids like Lette to walk and explore their communities. It works by supporting a child within an adjustable frame while gently moving their legs in a preset custom gait pattern. It’s made possible thanks to donor-funded research happening at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

 

Tallyn, meanwhile, has made it her mission in life to “help her sister’s brain.” She has been following Lette’s neurosurgeon, Dr. Hader, with curiosity and admiration, and has been raising money to support his team here at the Alberta Children’s Hospital since the age of four. Her birthday fundraisers have become well known in Calgary, garnering interest from local companies and professional sports teams. Her drive and compassion has even earned attention of Buckingham Palace. Tallyn was recently bestowed with King Charles III’s Coronation Medal, making this determined little sister one of the youngest recipients in the world!

Tallyn & Lette’s Radiothon Story - image

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