At 22 months old, Jameson (Jamie) had little energy, took four-hour naps, and often had a fever. His parents, Kelley and Dimitri initially thought it was a bug picked up at daycare, but when his skin began to yellow, they requested a blood test.

The results were swift and alarming: Jamie's hemoglobin levels were extremely low. “I was told to bring Jamie to the emergency department at the Montreal Children’s Hospital without delay,” recalls Dimitri.

That night, when Dr. David Mitchell, who was at the time the director of the hematology-oncology department, examined Jamie, his parents were terrified. Then the news came: Jamie was suffering from leukemia. The severity of the diagnosis hit like a bombshell. The young family suddenly found themselves swept into a whirlwind of hospital visits, treatments, and medical jargon.

At The Children’s, Jamie participated in an innovative biological study analyzing genetic markers. This study, which personalized his chemotherapy, reduced the risk of relapse and side effects. Jamie also benefited from a clinical trial showing that a two-year maintenance treatment, instead of three, was sufficient, and that a toxic drug could be administered once a month instead of once a week. And less chemotherapy means fewer side effects.

To help his son, Dimitri made it his mission to make hospital stays fun. “We danced, laughed, ate, and played,” he recalls. Meanwhile, Jamie showed incredible strength, facing needles and treatments without tears or resistance. “Jamie is the strongest child I have ever met,” says Dimitri proudly.

Today, Jameson is an energetic three-year-old. He is also a big brother. Two weeks after Jameson’s diagnosis, Dimitri and Kelley welcomed their second child, Scarlett. The father recalls visiting his wife and daughter at the Royal Victoria Hospital before continuing on to The Children’s to check on his son’s chemotherapy.

Jameson’s journey is not over; he is currently undergoing maintenance treatment until June 2025. The family says the experience has profoundly transformed them. They have settled into a new normal, where family time is non-negotiable.