Healing through the power of friendship

She'll tell you about staying up late watching Stranger Things with her roommate Hannah, movie nights, and laughing with the group of girls who turned an unexpected chapter of her life into one filled with friendship.

When Addie first arrived at the hospital, the future was hard to imagine. After living with pain for years and undergoing surgery, she couldn't walk. Her days quickly filled with physiotherapy, occupational therapy, school and recreational therapy programs, with each one helping her rebuild her strength and confidence.

But along the way, she met four other girls— Hannah, Finnley, Scarlett and Wynn—who were all on rehabilitation journeys of their own. While some had met before arriving at Holland Bloorview and others were complete strangers, it didn't take long before they became inseparable.

"There was an evening movie night and the five of us girls sat together to watch Hocus Pocus,” says 13-year-old Hannah, who regained strength through daily physiotherapy and occupational therapy during a four-month stay at the hospital. “It felt like we were instantly friends." 

That movie night was just the beginning. Between therapy sessions and school, the girls found every excuse to spend time together. They baked, made crafts, sang karaoke, visited with therapy dogs and even raced each other down the hallways in their wheelchairs. They turned everyday moments into memories that made the hospital feel a little more like home.

"We ate lunch together, hung out, teased the staff and roamed the halls," adds 13-year-old Wynn, who also enjoyed learning new parasports during recreational therapy. "Knowing that I had friends to hang out with, talk to and motivate me was so important in our healing."

For 10-year-old Finnley, who attended art therapy, swimming and had ankle-foot orthoses built for her at Holland Bloorview, having that group changed everything. "Meeting my friends gave me a reason to leave my room," she says. "They made my stay more fun. It felt normal to hang out after school and therapies and have playdates." 

Thirteen-year-old Scarlett says while physiotherapy helped her strengthen her muscles and relearn how to walk, the Child Life Specialists helped her process her emotions throughout her journey. And her newfound friends played a pivotal role in her recovery, of course. 

“My new friends supported me through my journey to make it more fun and easier to go through,” Scarlett says. “They didn’t make me feel different, even though we were there for different situations. They were easy to talk to and were there for me when I needed someone.”

But, leaving Holland Bloorview didn't mean leaving each other behind. The girls stayed in touch, met up for dinners with their moms, celebrated Hannah getting her ears pierced, visited Pickle Barrel and Sephora, and even came back together to celebrate Finnley's discharge. What started inside the hospital had become something much bigger.

"I always had someone to hang out with," Hannah says. "I never felt lonely or sad." 

By the time each of the girls was ready to go home, they'd done more than work toward their rehabilitation goals. They'd found a community that understood them, celebrated every milestone and helped make even the hardest days a little brighter.

"They all made my time there a lot easier,” says Addie. "They made a big impact on my life because they made me smile and laugh during the times I was in pain.”