What started as a simple virus in early December turned into something no parent ever expects. Sarah and Tysyn Olynyk's sweet little 4 month old became very sick. After transfers from Revelstoke to Kamloops NICU and with countless testing and still no answers, doctors flew Elizabeth to PICU at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, to discover a serious congenital heart condition, a coarctation of her aorta that was making Elizabeth's heart work way too hard. What should be a tiny heart had grown to the size of an adults.

In just a few weeks, this family has been through so much. Elizabeth spent days in the Kamloops NICU, poked and prodded while nurses and doctors tried to stabilize her. When things got worse, she was rushed by air to BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver where she quickly underwent closed-heart surgery. What is normally diagnosed soon after birth wasn’t so her heart was tired from working so hard for so long. Her lower left ventricle had grown significantly. A normal heart functions at 50-60% and her heart was functioning between 9 and 15% so the surgery was risky but she prevailed! After surgery her hearts function rose to 21%. The family has been so brave, and the medical teams have been incredible, but the journey isn’t over yet. She is now on medications 5x daily to help her heart fully heal and return to regular size.

Elizabeth will need monthly follow-up appointments in Kamloops with a paediatrician as well as various BC Children’s Hospital’s cardiologist interior outreach program for the foreseeable future. These trips are critical to keep her heart monitored and healthy. Unfortunately, the family is now facing big out-of-pocket costs travelling, accommodation, and even emergency flights for loved ones who dropped everything to help over Christmas.

Your donation will go toward:

Travel and lodging for monthly medical trips

Emergency flight expenses already incurred during the crisis

Every dollar helps bring peace of mind and ensures Elizabeth gets the care she needs. If you can, please donate and/or share her story. Together we can give this family some of the support they need and help Elizabeth grow strong and healthy.

Thank you