Not long ago, the Toronto Star published a special section in their newspaper, concerning SickKids. One article in particular pertained to Sébastien, explaining Dr. Paul Wales’ initiative to save more children who are born with Sébastien’s condition. Dr. Wales took an interest in short bowel syndrome after seeing the case of a baby girl seven years ago. “Doctors are faced with a no-win dilemma: let the baby die that night or perform the transplant, which would give her six to 12 months of life before a ‘miserable death’”. After earning his master’s degree in Scotland, he returned to SickKids in 2002 and organized GIFT – the Group for the Improvement of Intestinal Function and Treatment. As Hospital News describes, it began as multidisciplinary “research group looking to develop best practice standards for the treatment of intestinal failure”. It is interesting to note that in 2001, there were about 20 new cases of Short Bowel Syndrome in a year at SickKids NICU. Jasmina has already mentionned Dr. Wales with admiration, understandable when you read what motivates him: “I always think to myself, ‘What would I do if this was my kid?’”.
So what does GIFT do?
- GIFT has a standardized approach
- GIFT puts babies on transplant lists sooner, “raising their chances of making it to surgery”
- GIFT assures continuity of care by meeting weekly to discuss patient cases and treatment plans
- GIFT thinks of ways to improve bowel function so that prolonged TPN isn’t necessary, in order to avoid a transplant
GIFT has become the largest program of its kind in Canada and caters to over 80 patients. The program obviously helps: “when 54 newborns with short bowel syndrome treated under GIFT over a three-year period were compared with 40 pre-GIFT newborns, the success of the program was clear: while the overall mortality rate stayed the same, the mortality rate for the babies with liver failure dropped to 46 per cent from the pre-GIFT era’s 90 per cent.”
What kind of new therapies are the team trying? For a detailed look, check back to find out!
We had the honor of meeting your beautiful family during 2 stays on the floor….we had the priveledge of attending Sebastien’s 2nd birthday party. We are also blessed with being a part of the GIFT group and having that team as our team. We have dreams of making Ethan’s severe motility disorder managable and livable, Dr Wales is assisting us with our dream.
I read your blog daily for updates and progress…his stroy is truly one of hope, faith and medical miracles…i thank you for sharing his story with us