Halloween at the hospital

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Kids who aren’t able to go out for Halloween this year still got to take part in the festivities today, as McMaster Children’s Hospital hosted it’s annual Halloween parade to bring some joy to families going through a tough time.

Six month old Jack Wishart is dressing as a fireman for his first halloween, which is a fitting costume.

“He’s very strong and he’s very brave. ”

Jack sufferers from an aggressive version of lymphoblastic leukemia and will need to undergo several more rounds of chemo therapy and possibly need a bone marrow transplant.

But today, Jack and his mother get to do something all normal families do on Halloween – they’re going trick-or-treating.

Staff and volunteers lined the hallways dressed in costumes to give the kids at Mac the Halloween they deserve.

Kids like Shane Gallant, who checked into the hospital four weeks ago because doctors found a tumor in his brain.

“He’s very excited. He’s been smiling about it all day long.”

“When children are in hospital it’s really important that we help normalize as much as this experience as possible. For many of our kids it can be long term stays or unfortunate stays that land over holidays and so we try to incorporate what they would be doing in the community normally into what they do here.” said Tracy Akitt from McMaster Children’s Hospital.

“To be honest it’s a little bit difficult having all of his first things happen here at the hospital but McMaster as a whole, the nurses, the doctors, everyone have made this so smooth and taken such good care of Jack.” said Jack’s mom, Maria.

At the end of the parade all the excess candy was collected so it can be brought to children who weren’t feeling up to taking part today.