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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, July 30, 2015 | 6 Teen's journey continues with SickKids walk by Bob Mitchell Oakville Beaver Staff Spotlight "Connected to your Community" alkng ve kilometres even with stops is no easy task. So imagine doing it despite being born with a heart defect, undergoing multiple surgeries since shortly after birth and having just been diagnosed with scoliosis. For Sophie McNamee, 13, it was the proverbial "walk in a park" compared to what she has endured throughout her young life. "It wasn't really that tough for me to do," said the bubbly Oakville teen. "Compared to what I've been through, nah, the walk wasn't hard at all." Sophie can't wait to participate in this year's event. But instead of walking, she will be one of the volunteers at the third annual Canaccord Genuity Great Camp Adventure Walk on Sept. 26. "I thought it would be cool to volunteer," said Sophie, who turns 14 next month. "I think it will be interesting to see the other side of the event and give back." Whether she wants to admit it or not she has been an inspiration for many children suffering from diseases and other health conditions, many of whom will be walking with their friends and family in this year's event. "I guess so in a way but I really just learned to live with everything that has happened to me," Sophie said. "You kind of get used to it. I've been living the way I am since my birth so I really don't know what's like not to be like me....This is normal for me." The "Walk" is no ordinary fundraising event. Participants stop and enjoy activities along the route raise money for Toronto's SickKids Hospital, the hospital that saved Sophie's life. "The walk supports all of SickKids, not just one part, so that makes this event very special," Sophie said. "It's a great experience for everybody who takes part. W The walk supports all of SickKids, not just one part, so that makes this event very special. It's a great experience for everybody who takes part. Sophie McNamee "This hospital is really important to me -- and everybody else who has to go there." Sophie's parents, Sean and Cara, and her younger sister, Ella, 8, will be doing the 5-kilometre walk again this year. Her father works for FedEx so they will be participating as part of the sponsored corporate team. Sophie gures she spent almost half of last year at the hospital as either a patient or for her regular appointments. "I don't know what we would have done as a family without SickKids," Cara said. "You just take day by day when you go through something like this. Every surgery is really big and really scary, but when you wind up meeting other families and their children are OK, you feel better. You deal with each situation as it arises." Sophie born with pulmonary atresia Sophie was born with pulmonary atresia. She has spent so much time in and out of SickKids that she considers the world-famous hospital her second home. In fact, Sophie underwent multiple open-heart surgeries shortly after her birth. "I was rushed there right after I was born and I just keep going," she said. "It's like a normal part of my life." Since those early operations she has suffered two strokes and underwent two major surgeries for scoliosis, following last year's walk, to correct a curvature of her spine. During open-heart surgery, a shunt was inserted, but a piece travelled to her brain and she suffered two strokes. As a result of these strokes Oakville teen Sophie McNamee has spent much of her life in and out of Toronto's SickKids Hospital so she wants to give back by volunteering at this year's Camp Adventure Walk on Sept. 26 in Toronto. | photo Bob Mitchell ­ Oakville Beaver she clots easily due to genetic disorders so she takes aspirin to thin her blood and is regularly monitored by a thrombosis team, a neurology team, a cardiologist and a gastrointestinal team. "Apparently the strokes happened when I was having my heart surgeries as a baby, but we just found out about it last summer," Sophie said. "In October I had the surgery where two rods were inserted into my back to straighten it. The surgery took a whole day. "I kind of had to learn how to walk. I didn't have the surgery until after last year's walk so I don't know how it will feel to walk this year, but I might try to do a bit while I'm volunteering." Despite missing a great deal of her Grade 8 year, Sophie kept her marks up with tutoring from her home room teacher and she will enter Grade 9 at Oakville Trafalgar High School in September. Sophie a little nervous about going to high school Entering high school can be nerve-racking but again, it's nothing compared to what she has overcome. "I'm kind of nervous, but my older brother Connor went there and he says it's OK," Sophie said. "Because of my back surgery, I can't do any physical activity for the next two years, but that won't be a problem because I didn't like gym that much anyways." It was while a patient at SickKids and attending its summer camp in Orillia, Camp Oki -- a camp for children with heart defects -- that she met Jaidyn and Laura, who have become her best friends. All three are volunteering for this year's walk as members of the Junior Camp Crew. "The walk has really good oatmeal," Sophie said. "I remember the radio people telling the crowd that what Sophie remembers the most about the walk, was the food." The Walkforkids.ca consists of planned routes of 5, 10, 15 or 20 kilometres. Participants earn badges at various activity- lled campsites along the way. Some team members also walk with their dogs. PetSmart Pup Stops are at every campsite along with doggie snacks, bags and water so every dog can enjoy the day's adventure. see Walk on pg. 8 NEIL OLIVER Vice ­President and Group Publisher DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Halton Region Editor in Chief Volume 53 | Number 60 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Editorial Department (905) 845-3824 Advertising Department (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising (905) 632-4444 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 DANIEL BAIRD Director of Advertising ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor