We spent Max’s first birthday at Sick Kids Hospital. We knew something was wrong. He wasn’t eating, he was losing weight, he was clingy and not his happy self. After 14 hours in emergency, we were told Max was anemic and sent home with iron supplements. We thought the worst was over.

Two months later, things spiralled. Max got a normal cold that turned into a neck infection leaving us at Sick Kids for a week, waiting every day for the surgeons to visit to see if he needed surgery. Countless X-rays, ultrasounds and IV’s later, we made it home.

Two months after that, Max still wasn’t himself and we knew all these issues had to be connected and it was something more serious.

Max continued to be anemic, despite the iron supplements. Our paediatrician referred us to multiple specialist. Our first appointment was for an ultrasound with a Gastroenterologist . We went to that appointment thinking we would head straight home, but before we left the hospital we got a call from one of the doctors telling us we had to be admitted immediately.

Another week at Sick Kids where Max couldn’t eat or drink, being put under general anesthetic, had a colonoscopy, received more ultrasounds and x-rays, Max was finally diagnosed with Very Early Onset IBD (VEOIBD). Many are familiar with Crohn's/Colitis in adults, but in incredibly rare circumstances, it affects infants. Being diagnosed with VEOIBD at one year’s old is a different disease than diagnosed as an adult. It impacts infant’s growth, their bodies ability to absorb nutrients, their ability to fight infections and other illnesses. Unfortunately, for Max, it means IV infusions once every 4-6 weeks for the rest of his life because there is no cure, this disease is chronic.

Max is followed by world renowned team at Sick Kids, which includes Dr. Muise and R.N. Karen Frost, who are working diligently to find more answers to help Max and all the other kiddos under six years old diagnosed with this disease. We want to help support this team so other parents and infants' experiences are easier than ours has been and hopefully one day, find a cure.

Help us achieve our goal to raise money for this incredible group of doctors working hard for our little Maxy. All funds donated through this page will support IBD research at SickKids.