Isabelle's Story

Memories Captured by Teagan Photography
www.teaganphotography.com

Tiny Light Isabelle brightens up everyone’s day with her big smile. She loves music and shakes her arms and legs with joy when she gets to dance with her mom.

Isabelle has cerebral palsy and experiences many seizures. Unfortunately, each time she has a seizure, her development takes a step back and often, she ends up in the hospital intubated. But this seven year old just keeps up her happy attitude and never cries.

Isabelle enjoys going to school with the help of an aide. She also loves playing with water, whether it’s bath time, swimming or standing at the sink. This Tiny Light is the sweetest girl in the whole word, according to mom Laura. “Always have hope and keep your head up high. It is hard work but your child is your life and you have to do what is best for them.”

Written by Elaine Yong

Rukia and Orihime's Story

Memories Captured by EYE:58 PHOTOGRAPHY
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Tiny Lights Rukia and Orihime are always happy, especially when they get to go shopping with their bags. The twin girls also love putting diapers on their dolls, and now they’re getting a chance to practice on their newborn baby sister Okami. They just celebrated their third birthdays – a major milestone parents Cindy and Amilcar weren’t sure they’d get to see.

The twins were both born with heart conditions. Rukia was diagnosed with hypoplastic right heart – essentially half a heart – along with several other heart defects. Orihime had critical aortic stenosis with bicuspid valve and doming pulmonary valve. Both girls spent months in the hospital undergoing numerous surgeries and procedures, battling several complications.

Rukia has one more surgery ahead in the near future, and in a year or two, Orihime will also undergo another procedure. But these girls aren’t letting that slow them down. They started preschool this year and go through daily occupational and speech therapy. The twins love to sing and dance, colour and play tag. The family says their Tiny Lights have taught them to take things one day at a time and appreciate every moment. “Seeing their strength when they are going through all of their surgeries gives us the inspiration, the strength and the faith that they will always pull through.”

Written by Elaine Yong

Chloe & Cameron's Story

​Images Captured By Angie Chauvin Photography

Tiny Lights Chloe and Cameron have faced challenges right from birth. The siblings,
along with brother Carter, are triplets, born early at 31 weeks. They spent 42 days
in the NICU before coming home healthy. But after their second birthday, parents
Valerie and Dave were concerned about their development. Within a few months
at daycare, Carter’s speech developed quickly, but that wasn’t the case for Chloe
and Cameron. Turns out both of them are severely autistic and Cameron also has
juvenile arthritis.

The diagnoses have changed the family’s lives forever. There are numerous medical
appointments that require traveling, plus the mounting costs of special programs
such as therapeutic riding and swimming. Valerie has had to take on two extra jobs
just to help pay the bills.

Through it all, Chloe and Cameron have taught their parents so much. They are non-
verbal, but manage to get what they want when they want. These Tiny Lights love
snuggling, playing on the computer and helping in the kitchen. They are willing to
learn something new everyday. “We keep the kids very involved and will continue to
do so. We want them to experience life to their fullest potential!”

​Written by Elaine Yong

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Aisley's Story

Memories Captured By ​Eye 58 Photography

​Tiny Light Aisley has an energy that cannot be matched. This bubbly, outgoing and funny almost four-year old little girl just keeps going, no matter how hard the road ahead. Now that her hair is growing back, you would never know she’s been fighting cancer for more than a year.

Aisley was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia the week before Christmas 2011, just two months after welcoming her baby sister Emerson into the family home. Her parents Curtis and Alison were devastated. “We didn’t know what to expect. When you hear the word ‘cancer’, you think the absolute worst.” They had to uproot the family from their home in a small Alberta town and move to Calgary for Aisley’s treatment, which involved painful surgeries, bone marrow aspirations, and terrible side effects from the chemotherapy.

Now Aisley is in the maintenance phase of chemo. She takes daily medication at home with monthly hospital appointments. She enjoys going to preschool. She is a born performer who loves to dance and sing. Aisley is also a great big sister to Emerson. This Tiny Light has shown her family she is pretty incredible. “I hope one day she can visit a newly diagnosed little girl and tell her she was once in her shoes. And if she fights hard enough, she’ll be strong and healthy and ready to take on the world too. Although if I’m wishing for things, I’d rather there never be another little girl or boy diagnosed with cancer.”

Written by Elaine Yong