Manitoba Children’s Hospital patient, Jaxen Sierens, received a once in a lifetime chance to see the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Wednesday.
Jaxen, 6, and his dad Steven Sierens embarked on their adventure this week thanks to Dairy Queen Canada’s Children’s Miracle Network – A trip to honour Jaxen’s strength and bravery throughout his difficult journey.
When the young Treherne, Man. boy was 2, he started complaining about pain in his leg. The pain would not only slow him down but some days, he couldn’t even walk, said Sierens.
“We took him to Pan-Am Clinic and discovered that he has, what is believed to be, a benign tumour that takes up a third of his femur bone and the hip,” said Sierens.
Worried surgery would cause long-term damage to Jaxen’s leg, Children’s Hospital wanted to wait and monitor the situation. Over the next four years, Jaxen endured pain from fractions, having to wear a cast from the waist down and needing a specially designed brace or walker to move around the house.
“It’s tough telling your boy, you can’t go outside and play with your friends, you can’t do that sport … it’s like raising a child in a bubble,” said Sierens.
Recently doctors decided Jaxen could have the surgery to remove the tumour and inserted hardware to support the bone.
The little sports fan is in recovery and exceeding expectations, said his father.
Since baseball (stationary batting and catching) was the only activity doctors would allow him to do before the surgery, Dairy Queen Canada’s Children’s Miracle Network decided sending him and his dad to a Jays game, would be the perfect fit.
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and we hope remembers it for the rest of his life,” said Sierens.
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