Photo © Courtesy of Shriners Hospitals for Children – Canada
Maïka is a bright 13-year-old girl, an exceptionally talented dancer, and a patient at Shriners Hospitals for Children – Canada. At only two years old, inspired by a dancing show on TV, Maïka asked her parents to sign her up for dance lessons. From her first moments on the dance floor, she was overwhelmed by a passion for the art of dancing. She enjoyed dancing with her peers, but she truly loved taking the stage as a soloist.
It was through an observation made by one of her dance teachers that Maïka and her family discovered that she had juvenile idiopathic scoliosis. This was when she began her journey at Canada Shriners Hospital. The Shriners Hospital team supported Maïka and her family, educating them about her diagnosis and what this would mean as her body developed. When dancing, Maïka had noticed that one side of her body had always been stronger, and now she was finally able to make sense of it all.
With big plans for her future in dance, it was inconceivable for her to imagine doing anything else! Luckily, with the amazing team at Canada Shriners Hospital and their unconditional support, care, and advice, Maïka never lost hope. In fact, every visit with her medical team left her feeling more optimistic. She got straight to work and was fully committed to her physiotherapy, working hard to correct her pathology and impressing her doctors at every visit. “Don’t count the days, make the days count,” says Maïka – words she certainly lives by.
Maïka is clearly passionate about dance, and her choreographies are limitless, but dance is not her only passion; she loves to play soccer, and she loves doing acrobatics too! She is actively pursuing her dancing career not only on the stage but also on the big screen. She has performed on stages throughout Quebec and internationally in the Walt Disney Christmas Parade at Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Florida and in a video filmed in France called “Collective Music Charity.”
Maïka will always be grateful to Shriners Hospitals for Children – Canada, who have allowed her to continue to pursue her dreams, and she is determined to show the world that nothing should stop you from chasing your dreams. Maïka is proud to be a Patient Ambassador for her Hospital to share her story for kids worldwide who are faced with challenges as she was. Thanks to her team at Canada Shriners Hospital and her hard work and determination, Maïka will continue to dance and spread her message of inspiration all over the world.
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