SickKids VS

Newborn mortality is one of the biggest challenges facing global child health. One SickKids scientist is determined to change that with an inexpensive kit that gives parents the tools they need to keep their newborn healthy and safe. Join us as we track the kit’s impact in northern Pakistan — and its potential to save children's lives around the world.

Despite advancements in treatment, leukemia survival rates have remained unchanged for years—until now. A groundbreaking clinical trial is transforming outcomes for children. Hear from the SickKids experts who led this game-changing breakthrough and the family whose journey was forever changed by it.

When Harper was four, she was surgically tethered to a machine the size of a dishwasher. It kept her alive as she waited for a heart transplant. But it meant her life was confined to a hospital indefinitely. A new study explores the complex emotions and impact for families surviving in limbo

An accident at the beach left 15-year-old Lauryn in extreme discomfort for years. Pain is one of the body’s most important signals for survival but sometimes signals in the brain can get crossed and the hurt continues long after an injury has healed. Hear from a team that’s re-wiring brains to put pain in its place.

Organ failure is a race against time. Even when a transplant is possible, plenty can still go wrong. But major advances are improving the odds and creating new outcomes for patients, as you’ll hear in this tale of two strangers — Brad and Regan, whose lives became forever intertwined.(For bonus content or to advance similar research, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. The SickKids VS Podcast is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill).

Many families rush to hospital emergency departments every day. Some don’t know why a child is sick. Some do. But they all share a common concern: how long will we have to wait? Hear how one emergency physician (who’s also a computer scientist) is harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to address wait times so more patients and caregivers can see health-care experts sooner.(To advance breakthrough research and care like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. SickKids VS is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

More children survive cancer than ever before. But the disease and the treatments take a toll. In adulthood, many survivors face serious or life-threatening effects stemming from their therapies. Dr. Paul Nathan works tirelessly to improve the lives of survivors, and he’s been collaborating with someone who has a unique perspective on how to take post-cancer care to a whole new level. (To advance breakthrough research and care like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. SickKids VS is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

As a baby, Noel was diagnosed with a severe form of epilepsy. There are many types and causes, so to really help patients like him, it’s not enough to know they have the disorder — but rather why they have it. To find out, Noel’s family joined a groundbreaking global study to see what happens when you dig into the genome for answers.(To advance breakthrough research and care like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. SickKids VS is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

Around one in five kids struggle to breathe at least twice a year. They miss school and soccer games. And they often end up in hospital for treatment — but fail to receive a diagnosis. Breathing disorders, whether mild or severe, can be deadly. Meet the doctor who designed a new tool to better predict the risk of getting asthma. (To advance breakthrough research and care like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. SickKids VS is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

Seth was 10 when he collapsed on the schoolyard without warning. As a baby, he’d been diagnosed with a disease in which the heart can suddenly quit. Some people with his condition can go their whole lives without experiencing this. Others die from it. And there’s no way of knowing who’s at risk – until now. (To advance breakthrough research and care like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. SickKids VS is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

Dr. Ronni Cohn is leading SickKids through a new frontier in medicine — to diagnose faster, treat smarter, and predict better. The CEO (who’s also a geneticist and paediatrician) reveals how Precision Child Health works as we kick off a new season of breakthroughs, from using AI to help ease wait times in the emergency department and pinpointing the roots of unexplained seizures to anticipating which kids may experience sudden cardiac death. (To advance breakthrough research and care like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. SickKids VS is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

A new wave of venture philanthropists is pooling their money to fuel major medical discoveries. The return on their investment? Saving lives. Meet these changemakers plus the scientist behind a new way to diagnose brain tumours in kids. (For bonus content or to advance similar research, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. The SickKids VS Podcast is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

Dr. Isaac Odame is making life easier for children with sickle cell disease—about half of whom in Canada will be seen at SickKids. Hear how he implemented an early detection and treatment program, and how he's tackling even bigger obstacles, including toxic treatments, anti-Black racism, and limited care capacity in other parts of the world. (For bonus content or to advance similar research, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. The SickKids VS Podcast is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

Five-year-old Michael is one of less than 100 people in the world with SPG50, an ultrarare genetic disease. In March 2022, a SickKids team dosed Michael with the first-ever gene therapy for SPG50 in an unprecedented clinical trial. We tell the remarkable story of what it took to deliver a customized drug for Michael’s particular genetic variant, and what it means for SickKids’ vision of precision medicine. (For bonus content or to advance similar research, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. The SickKids VS Podcast is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

For families whose children have had major heart surgeries, the idea of exercise can be terrifying. Is their heart strong enough? What if their heart fails? This fear is understandable but can be damaging in the long run. That’s why Dr. Barbara Cifra launched a first-of-its-kind exercise counselling program for children with congenital heart disease. Hear how the program empowers patients to shed their fears, know their limits, and live life to the fullest.(For bonus content or to advance similar research, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. The SickKids VS Podcast is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

The kids aren't all right. During COVID, depression, anxiety and eating disorders skyrocketed. Families struggled. And a SickKids team started gathering data. Their real-time findings went on to influence policy and deepen knowledge of children's mental health. (For bonus content or to advance similar research, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. The SickKids VS Podcast is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

Not all medical instruments are surgical. Hear from a trio of music therapists as they share unique approaches—and songs—for soothing pain, building bonds, and unlocking new ways of communicating for kids who are nonverbal. (For bonus content or to advance similar research, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. The SickKids VS Podcast is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

A cancer diagnosis alone is scary and stressful, especially when it involves a child. But the emotional and logistical fallout also upends a family's day-to-day life. Discover what happens when a first-of-its-kind program deploys resource navigators—Dennis and Lisa, who work tirelessly to show families that they are not alone. (For bonus content or to advance similar research, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast. The SickKids VS Podcast is generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill.)

SickKids VS takes you to the frontlines in the fight for child health, where we speak candidly to world experts, patients, and their families about big breakthroughs. Hear about the science behind music therapy; what happens when a team helps families with the daily stresses of childhood cancer; how a scientist delivers a world-first gene therapy for one child’s rare disease, and many more incredible stories.Subscribe today. Season 4 starts May 11.

Nine-year-old Hunter is living with an incurable brain tumour and, naturally, she has questions. Hear how a SickKids Child Life Specialist is helping Hunter cope with the worst kind of prognosis. (For behind-the-scenes extras and show notes or to fund research like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast.) Generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill, this is the SickKids VS Podcast.

Sheena Josselyn and Paul Frankland’s paradigm-shifting work includes selectively erasing fear memories in mice and discovering what drives early childhood amnesia. We talk to the pair–who are partners in work and life–about taking on one of the brain’s big mysteries. (For behind-the-scenes extras and show notes or to fund research like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast.) Generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill, this is the SickKids VS Podcast.

Faced with new symptom after new symptom, Daniel’s family grappled for years with an unknown disease. But blood tests and body scans couldn’t reveal the underlying problem. Join the quest for Daniel’s diagnosis, where scientific advances proved key to unlocking a treatment. (For behind-the-scenes extras and show notes or to fund research like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast.) Generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill, this is the SickKids VS Podcast.

Early brain injury can cause unique behavioral problems for children and youth — and unique stresses and challenges for their caregivers. We introduce a pioneering program that offers practical tools and one-on-one coaching to caregivers at home. (For behind-the-scenes extras and show notes or to fund research like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast.) Generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill, this is the SickKids VS Podcast.

When a child suffers a serious brain injury, doctors can help them cope with the consequences, but they often can’t fix the damage that has been done. Or can they? Spurred by patient families who won’t settle for the status quo, a team of scientists is challenging a long-held belief about the brain’s limits. (For behind-the-scenes extras and show notes or to fund research like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast.) Generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill, this is the SickKids VS Podcast.

Parents of babies born with complex medical needs are at high risk of stress, anxiety, and depression. One doctor took notice. She reveals a new type of care that could help families across the country during a critical moment: the rocky return home from the hospital. (For behind-the-scenes extras and show notes or to fund research like this, please visit SickKidsFoundation.com/podcast.) Generously sponsored by CIBC and edited by Quill, this is the SickKids VS Podcast.

Most big breakthroughs start with a simple question. In the new season of SickKids VS, we take you behind the scenes of remarkable stories wherein each episode researchers ask questions like: Can we heal the brain? How should we talk to kids about dying? And what can doctors do when a child’s disease remains unknown—for years? Join us on the frontlines in the fight for child health. Season 3 starts May 4. Subscribe now.

In surgery, practice makes perfect. But for surgeons operating on tiny hearts with rare defects, that kind of experience can take decades. So, SickKids cardiac radiologist Dr. Shi-Joon Yoo devised a novel solution to speed things up: 3D-printed hearts. What began in a rented office has since blossomed into a fast-growing program, attracting surgeons from around the world to SickKids for expert-led, hands-on surgical training.For more information on this episode, visit sickkidsfoundation.com/podcast/surgicaltraining. And to fund research like this, go to sickkidsfoundation.com/donate SickKids Foundation is proud to recognize CIBC as the Premier Sponsor of the SickKids VS Podcast.

Baby Izaan was in trouble. Despite multiple rounds of chemotherapy, his tumour continued to grow, and time was running out. Izaan’s oncologist, Dr. David Malkin, enrolled him in KiCS: The SickKids Cancer Sequencing Program. The hope? That by analyzing the tumour’s DNA, they could figure out how to stop it.For more information on this episode, visit sickkidsfoundation.com/podcast/cancergenetics. And to fund research like this, go to sickkidsfoundation.com/donate.SickKids Foundation is proud to recognize CIBC as the Premier Sponsor of the SickKids VS Podcast.

Ryan is severely allergic to peanuts. Like, hives-blossoming, throat-closing, get-me-epinephrine-now kind of allergic. But as part of a clinical trial at SickKids, which could change the course of allergy treatment, he now eats a tiny dose of the stuff every night. That’s because peanuts—the very food that could kill him—might also be the key to protecting him.WARNING: Please do not try this without the close supervision of a doctor.For more information on this episode, visit sickkidsfoundation.com/podcast/foodallergy . And to fund research like this, go to sickkidsfoundation.com/donateSickKids Foundation is proud to recognize CIBC as the Premier Sponsor of the SickKids VS Podcast.

First, Gavriel’s muscles got weaker. Then, he lost the ability to walk. From there, things will only get worse. The cause is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic disorder with no cure. But that might soon change. Using CRISPR, a state-of-the-art gene-editing tool, SickKids scientists were able to correct the disease-causing mutation in mice. The result? Improved muscle strength and function—and no signs of paralysis. Now, they’re refining their approach, so they can take this treatment out of the lab and into the world.For more information on this episode, visit sickkidsfoundation.com/podcast/duchenne. And to fund research like this, go to sickkidsfoundation.com/donateSickKids Foundation is proud to recognize CIBC as the Premier Sponsor of the SickKids VS Podcast.

For years, SickKids scientist Dr. Jean-Philippe Julien toiled in his lab, harnessing the power of human antibodies to try and neutralize two of the world’s deadliest diseases: HIV/AIDS and malaria. Then, COVID-19 hit, wreaking havoc across the globe. Very quickly, Dr. Julien pivoted, leveraging what he learned to pursue a new mission: making an antibody supermolecule to neutralize SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19. If successful, it could radically reshape the way we approach diseases like COVID-19 and malaria—before the next pandemic hits.For more information on this episode, visit sickkidsfoundation.com/podcast/pandemic . And to fund research like this, go to sickkidsfoundation.com/donateSickKids Foundation is proud to recognize CIBC as the Premier Sponsor of the SickKids VS Podcast.

In 1990, 20-year-old rower Heather Cartwright was at the peak of her athletic powers. But as she crossed the finish line during a race that summer, she collapsed and nearly died. The cause? Arrhythmogenic right-ventricle cardiomyopathy, or ARVC—a rare, hereditary disease that can cause sudden cardiac death. Many die not knowing they have it. But thanks to SickKids researchers—and supporters like Heather and her family—a new test can detect this often-invisible disease.For more information on this episode, visit sickkidsfoundation.com/podcast/cardiacdeath. And to fund research like this, go to sickkidsfoundation.com/donate.SickKids Foundation is proud to recognize CIBC as the Premier Sponsor of the SickKids VS Podcast.

As a writer for SickKids Foundation, Hannah Bank has interviewed some of the world’s best scientists and researchers. The conversations left her so inspired that she's sharing some of them with you. This is SickKids VS, a podcast about the human side of science and the tumultuous road to discovery. Learn more about how SickKids VS began—and our host Hannah—in this mini episode on the eve of Season 2.

3D-printed hearts to help surgeons practice. Supermolecules to stop COVID-19. Cures for aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers. And much, much more. Welcome to Season 2 of SickKids VS, beginning April 15. Subscribe now. 

Dr. Upton Allen, Chief of Infectious Diseases at SickKids, on how COVID-19 affects children, why scientists around the world underestimated the threat, and his research to better understand the virus. 

When cardiac arrest strikes, it’s dangerous, even deadly. But what if we could see it coming? What if we could turn patient data into a predictive tool? A SickKids ICU doctor and computer scientist are figuring out a way to do just that—with artificial intelligence. 

In the 1950s, most kids with cystic fibrosis died in childhood. Today, things are a lot different. One SickKids patient, Mac Robertson, isn’t just surviving. He’s thriving. He’s a strong, six-foot teenager. He plays elite baseball. And, some days, he forgets he even has it. So, how’d we get here? And what does SickKids have to do with it?

Ten years ago, paediatric care in Ghana was nearly non-existent. There were few paediatricians, and even fewer paediatric nurses. Because of that, children died—many before their fifth birthday. So, SickKids started a nurse training program. Now, ten years later, the change is unmistakable.

Andi was having 200 seizures a day. It was unbearable—for her and her family. But nothing seemed to help. Until they met Dr. George Ibrahim at SickKids. He wanted to try something radical, a treatment which had never been used on a child in Canada: deep brain stimulation.   

Kids diagnosed with a deadly and aggressive cancer predisposition syndrome had no hope—until now. SickKids Drs. Uri Tabori and Eric Bouffet have discovered a way to treat these patients with drugs that unleash the power of the immune system. It’s called immunotherapy. And it’s the closest thing we’ve found to a cure.

50 kids in Canada are waitlisted for a new heart each year. Of those, 30-35 will get one, while others must keep waiting, some for years. But SickKids surgeon Dr. Osami Honjo thinks he has a solution. A way to expand the donor pool by keeping hearts beating outside the body. He calls it the Heart in a Box.

SickKids has been behind some of the biggest breakthroughs in child health. Today, we turn our sights to the next great challenges: non-stop seizures and hard-to-cure cancers, heart transplants and cystic fibrosis. Welcome to the frontlines. Welcome to SickKids VS.