An Exeter teen who nearly lost his life at the age of four is standing up to help sick kids in London and the area.
Cole Heessels is the Children’s Miracle Network Champion for 2024.
With a chorus of claps and cowbells ringing, the 17 year old arrived inside a London Walmart Store Thursday to begin his term.
“I was shocked when they asked me to be a champion child,” he told CTV News.
But upon learning Cole’s story, it is obvious why he was selected.
From winning with The Team Ontario Wheelchair Basketball squad in 2023 to winning in the game of life, Cole lives up to his champion moniker.
His medical fight began at the age of four. For days, many thought he had the flu. But a blood test at a local hospital determined things were far worse.
“He was immediately put into an ambulance and rushed to Children’s,” his mother Rebecca recalls.
Once there, doctors put Cole into a medically induced coma.
“We were told that week that he might not make it,” she said with painful reflection.
Cole would experience kidney failure and lose his left arm and leg to sepsis before stabilizing.
Eight months later, he was diagnosed with a rare genetic blood disorder called atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Fourteen years on, he still visits Children’s Hospital for checkups. Now, he'll go to share a message with other kids facing months of treatment.
“I would like to say, if you’re having a rough time, just try to keep a positive mindset always, because that will really help you down the road,” said Cole.
His positive words are an example of how champions play a vital role in hospital fundraising, according to Scott Fortnum, president and CEO of the Children's Health Foundation.
“They understand what it is like to be within the walls of the hospital, and to experience the highs and the lows that go with that.”
And as Cole and other champions share, Rebecca hopes to encourage parents to give.
“You never know when it might be your family," she concluded.
