Wolf packs, pucks and possibilities: Orla’s story
Orla knows all about being part of a pack.
“Wolves can hear each other's howls from 10 miles away,” she says of her favourite animal.
The 10-year-old’s love of wolves is clear from the moment you meet her: her dad, Kevin, painted a wolf on Orla’s helmet, matching the ankle brace personalized just for Orla at Holland Bloorview’s orthotics department.
In 2024, Orla had a sudden and life-threatening brain infection. After undergoing two neurosurgeries, Orla came to Holland Bloorview to get the left side of her body moving and to learn to walk again.
During her inpatient stay, Orla began to regain balance, coordination and strength through fun obstacle courses in physiotherapy. And in occupational therapy, she learned a real-life dance routine for her community recital.
Orla also discovered that using a wheelchair – which Holland Bloorview provided to her – comes with independence and new skills. When she used a wheelchair during her recovery, Orla says she could do things that people without a wheelchair can’t.
"I could sneak away. I could do different dance moves,” Orla says. “There are also really fast sport wheelchairs in the gym. You can pretend you're on a roller coaster in the elevator by grabbing the railing and pushing your wheelchair back and forth."
As a Holland Bloorview ambassador, Orla has also developed a whole new sense of belonging to the disability community. On family outings, she often notices other people with disabilities and talks to them about all the possibilities for what people can do.
She shoots, she scores!
It was also at the hospital where Orla discovered her passion for hockey.
Not only did she play hockey as a part of her rehab, Orla also got to use her first inpatient weekend pass to watch her favourite team, the Toronto Sceptres, play.
Care fit for Orla
When asked about her favourite part about Holland Bloorview, Orla says, “All the kind caretakers.”
Orla’s dad can’t help but agree.
“The level of care was through the roof,” Kevin says. “We knew we were in the right environment, and she was in the best care. From nurses, to doctors, to all staff, they understood Orla's situation. They worked on her level and where she was at – because everybody is an individual.”
Holland Bloorview clinicians tailored Orla’s care to her hobbies and interests – from playing soccer in physiotherapy, to baking cookies, brownies and pretzels in therapeutic rec.
And while Orla is a fierce athlete, her silly and creative sides often come out too.
With the help of her twin sister Erin, Orla invented the comic book character, Super Raindrop, while staying at Holland Bloorview.
The pair also loved playing with the therapeutic clowns at Holland Bloorview and pretending to be invisible. Kevin says the clowns were not only “amazing,” but they also helped open his eyes to what rehabilitation care could look like.
These days, Orla accesses outpatient physiotherapy and occupational therapy at the hospital. That can look like playing a fun game of Uno to practice putting cards down with her left hand, or having a blast in the Snoezelen room, a space that uses music, lighting, gentle vibrations, tactile sensations and aromatherapy to encourage social skills and heighten sensory awareness.
When she’s not busy clowning around or shooting pucks, Orla can be found exploring fantasy books about dragons, going on outdoor adventures, drawing and playing Roblox with friends.
For Orla and her family, the future looks bright – and full of endless possibilities.
