This year, Enfant Soleil is donating more than $129,000 in Mauricie to improve the care and overall health of children in the area. It supports over a hundred healthcare establishments across the province, in addition to giving vital support to the four major pediatric centres, which provide specialized and superspecialized care to all children who need it.
Adapted equipment for local pediatric care
Heated reanimation table
This equipment, adapted to the size and needs of babies, will enable healthcare personnel to respond to any critical care episode much more safely and quickly.
Bilirubinometer
Funded in collaboration with the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, this tool enables nurses to detect jaundice in newborns during home monitoring, by quickly, gently and safely measuring the bilirubin level in the baby’s blood.
Naso-pharyngo-laryngoscope
Adapted to children’s size and designed to reduce discomfort and anxiety, this device enables a thorough examination of the inside of the throat, nose and larynx.
2 vital sign monitors
This equipment enables parents to monitor their child’s vital signs at home when longer-term monitoring is required. It aims to reduce the stress experienced by both the child and their parents.
Various equipment
Other equipment will be funded, including a breast pump and a set of positioning tools for newborns that will prevent certain complications by keeping around 450 children a year in a safe, comforting position.
In-bed positioning system
This device is available on loan to families, who can try it out at home. It is designed to ensure symmetrical positioning of children with severe physical impairments, preventing musculoskeletal deformities and improving their comfort and sleep.
2 assessment tools
Over a hundred children a year will benefit from a better assessment of their abilities and a more precise identification of their needs thanks to these two more comprehensive and effective measurement tools.
Several seats for posture and bathing
Children ages 0 to 6 with postural control difficulties, hypotonia or motor impairment will benefit from this equipment, which will help them position themselves correctly. It will promote their comfort, autonomy in play, and safety, both at the centre and at home.
Mobility aid
This device gives young people with motor impairments the opportunity to practise using a wheelchair. It lets them explore their environment, despite not being able to stand on their own, and increase their social engagement.
A look back at a project made possible thanks to Enfant Soleil’s support
Hôpital du Centre-de-la-Mauricie
Inaugurated in June 2024, the expanded and modernized neonatal unit at the Centre parents-enfants now offers a more reassuring and soothing environment for newborns requiring specialized care. Each year, it welcomes premature babies ages 34 weeks and over, as well as full-term newborns with health problems or requiring special monitoring. These little ones receive care tailored to their needs, supported by a dedicated team.
This project, funded by a grant of more than $256,000 given by Enfant Soleil and the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, doubled the unit’s surface area and created spaces better adapted to the children’s needs.
- Addition of an extra bed for resuscitation or critical care;
- Adapted environment, designed to reduce light and noise and thus promote the well-being of the little ones;
- Expansion of the isolation room, refurbishment of the treatment room, modernization of the nurses’ station and replacement of the on-call alert system.
Murphy Valois, Mauricie’s Enfant Soleil
She and her family help the cause shine in their region.
At just four months old, Murphy had her first epileptic seizure, setting her family in a race against time to protect her young brain. Since birth, her development has been a cause for concern, and she has had to have several treatments and a hospital stay from an early age.
In 2022, she was finally diagnosed with an extremely rare disease: ZMYND11 syndrome, which explains her motor, cognitive and behavioural challenges. Some 50 cases have been identified worldwide. Today, Murphy is making progress with her motor skills, but does not speak yet. She does, however, manage to communicate with her big blue eyes and gestures that are well known to her parents.