‘Time is of the essence’: Local mother calls for expanded pediatric services

An Amherstburg mother is speaking out, calling for pediatric care closer to home. CTV Windsor’s Stefanie Masotti has more.

An Amherstburg mother is hopeful pediatric care in Windsor will expand once the new acute care hospital is built.

“Our area is growing by leaps and bounds,” said Kait Lowe, founder of Parents for Critical Pediatric Care Windsor.

“This is a real opportunity to have a pediatric emergency department, to have a pediatric critical care unit with more surgeons who are here full time, not just visiting surgeons for pediatric surgeries.”

Her son, Sully, 4, was diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s Disease at two-days old.

“His disease means that you’re born without being able to go to the bathroom properly,” she told CTV News.

“His bowels could rupture at any moment. Time is of the essence.”

Sully and his family regularly travel to London for specialized treatment.

Lowe has spent the last four years advocating for expanded pediatric services in Windsor-Essex.

“When kids are critical, they sometimes don’t have time to make it to London or Toronto,” Lowe explained.

Windsor Regional Hospital officials have said in the past specialist pediatric services are not provided because the volume of cases in this area is too low to warrant it.

“As we have said on multiple occasions, WRH is always interested in expanding programs and services, but only where patient volumes would safely support those additions,” Dr. Sajit Augustine, chief of the Department of Pediatrics.

“We will advocate for funding to support expanded or new programs where the volumes warrant. However, there are many specialized cases where, for the safety of the patient, services are better provided where there is expertise and more common clinical practice, such as specialized pediatric care in London.”

The hospital does provide a Pediatric Emergency Diversion Service that operates seven days a week.

“The pediatric program has experienced significant growth recently. In the past year, we recruited three new pediatricians and a pediatric oncologist,” said Augustine.

“Over the last three years, we have added eight new pediatricians to our team. Additionally, we are actively working on recruiting a pediatric cardiologist. We have established a Pediatric Virtual Care program with the London Health Sciences Centre, making it the first of its kind in Ontario West.”

Augustine added that WRH plans to add the Pediatric Virtual Care program to the emergency department soon.

“Since its inception, our after-hours emergency department diversion program has provided rapid, timely, and specialized pediatric care to over 5,000 children,” he said.

“We remain committed to improving access to pediatric care, expanding our services, and delivering care closer to home.”

Lowe hopes the new acute care hospital will bring change.

“It’s an opportunity to have a full-time pediatric oncology unit,” she said.

“It’s an opportunity to have a pediatric medical unit with more specialist.”

Construction on the $2 billion project is expected to begin in 2026 with a completion date of 2031.