Barrett from Meadow Lake was very small when he was diagnosed with leukemia and began urgent treatment at Jim Pattison Children's Hospital in Saskatoon. (submitted/JPCH Foundation)

By Susan McNeil

2025 Radiothon

Project OO: License to Heal radiothon will help fund hearing services at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital

Nov 4, 2025 | 2:41 PM

Every year almost 5,500 babies are born at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon and every one of them gets a hearing check.

That is why this year’s focus of the annual Pattison Children’s Hospital Radiothon is hearing services.

Money raised will help pay for Otolaryngology equipment, which is a huge benefit for children like Emmett from Saskatoon, who was born with a rare genetic condition.

Sanfilippo Syndrome Type A often takes away the patient’s ability to speak and hear.

Emmett has Sanfilippo Syndrome Type A, which impacts his ability to hear and speak. (submitted/JPCH Foundation)

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Emmett is now six and can still hear but wears hearing aids which have made a big difference in his ability to make eye contact, pick up new songs and have improved his attention and focus, according to his mother.

Emmett was first diagnosed and has since been treated for his condition at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.

The hospital employs Otolaryngologists (ENT doctors) that treat ear, nose and throat problems and Otologists, ENT doctors that specialize in complex conditions of the ear.

Audiologists and Speech-language pathologists are also part of the group of professionals who work with hearing disorders, including communication and swallowing conditions.

The hospital tests 15 to 20 babies per day and of those, between five and eight per cent do not pass the screening. That means that around 400 babies per year need a detailed hearing assessment.

Every year between 25 and 30 babies are found to have permanent hearing loss that is detected through the newborn screening program.

Early diagnosis is important as a child with hearing loss can have their ability to talk, listen and learn impacted. But that can be mitigated with professional help.

A children’s hospital is about more than infants though, and children are treated there up to and including their teens.

Cole from Shellbrook is 15 years old and was living a normal life until he started having random hand spasms in 2021.

That led to the discovery of a brain tumour, which was removed at JPCH in 2022. He was discharged four days later and now leads a normal life.

Four days after having surgery to remove a brain tumour, Cole was discharged from the children’s hospital. (submitted/JPCH Foundation)

In 2023 in Meadow Lake, four-year-old Barrett was taken to JPCH after an urgent diagnosis of leukemia. He began treatment immediately, staying in the hospital for two weeks before switching over to outpatient care.

His mom still recalls the shock she felt.

“I knew he was sick but cancer was the furthest thing from my mind,” said Barrett’s mom, Jonaya. “That day was the hardest day of my life, I look back on that day and can still feel all those emotions. I will never forget that numbing feeling that took over my entire body when they said ‘your son has cancer.’ I will never forget that day,” she continued.

Barrett rang the bell that signaled the end of his chemotherapy this past August and has now finished pre-school.

Barrett is now living his best farm life. (submitted)

The 2025 Radiothon will run November 5 and 6 on multiple radio stations across Saskatchewan.

Donations can be made by calling 1-888-808-KIDS (5437) or click DONATE NOW on their website.

Last year, more than 30 radio stations across the province took part in the radiothon, including Pattison Media stations in Prince Albert, Melfort, North Battleford and Meadow Lake.

Just over $1 million was raised over the two-day event.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

On BlueSky: @susanmcneil.bsky.social