REGINA — A year ago, she could not walk. On Wednesday morning, she stood in the middle of a Walmart surrounded by applause, balloons and cameras, flashing the kind of smile that only a child who has fought her way back can wear.
Four-year-old Ivy Brodner has been named the 2026 Champion Child for the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation, announced during a special celebration at the Rochdale Walmart in Regina.
Clutching the microphone with both hands, Ivy delivered a simple message that said everything.
“Thank you for helping kids just like me.”
Behind those few words is a story of pain, uncertainty and extraordinary care.
In April 2024, Ivy began screaming in pain from the simplest movements. At first, her family thought it might be growing pains. But during her first gymnastics class, she let out what her mother described as a blood-curdling scream. Within days, she could no longer walk. Tests revealed dangerously high muscle enzymes in her bloodstream. Her oxygen levels dropped. Swelling spread across her tiny body.
She was rushed to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon, where she would spend 31 days.
There, Ivy endured blood tests, MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds, muscle biopsies, chemotherapy, IVIG treatments and high-dose steroids. She was fitted with a nasogastric tube. Specialists eventually diagnosed her with juvenile dermatomyositis, a rare autoimmune disease that affects only two to four children per million worldwide each year.
“Sitting in those halls, I had many tears about the unknown and how strong the pain came on,” said her mother, Shandra Brodner. “But the second we arrived in Saskatoon, the team was waiting for us with new treatments and possibilities. Watching the nurses always on their A-game finally allowed me to sleep, knowing Ivy was in the best possible hands.”
Slowly, with coordinated care from specialists, Ivy began to improve. She regained her strength. She took steps again. And, as her family says, she got her sparkle back.
Today, she is back in kindergarten, back in gymnastics and back to being a bubbly little firecracker who fills every room with laughter. She still travels monthly for follow-up appointments, though treatments have been arranged closer to home in Regina to ease the burden on her and her family.
“My child is thriving thanks to the care during our admission and our continued outpatient care,” Shandra said. “They think about the child as a whole person. That has made all the difference.”
Each year, children’s hospital foundations across Canada select a Champion Child to represent families who rely on pediatric care. The role includes sharing their story with donors, partners and communities across the province.
Community Engagement Manager Jada Kook said Ivy embodies everything the title represents.
“Last year alone, the hospital served patients from 591 communities across Saskatchewan and cared for more than 85,000 children and babies,” Kook said. “Our Champion Child helps donors understand the real impact of their generosity. Ivy is small in stature, but she is mighty in spirit. She reminds us that strength is measured in courage, hope and heart.”
Wednesday’s event also marked the passing of the torch from 2025 Champion Child Blaze, who raised more than $85,000 personally for the foundation and travelled across the province thanking supporters.
At Walmart, the partnership between the retailer and the foundation was front and centre. Trevor Kincaid, manager of the Rochdale Walmart, said associates across Saskatchewan raised more than $384,000 last year for pediatric care, including $89,000 from Regina stores alone.
“That is something our team should be extremely proud of,” Kincaid said. “When a strong organization and a passionate team come together around a purpose that truly matters, incredible things happen. We are proud to stand beside the foundation in supporting children’s health across our province.”
For Ivy’s father, Mike Brodner, the moment was deeply emotional.
“It was a struggle at first watching her go through it all,” he said. “There was a lot of uncertainty. But having the specialists at the children’s hospital guide us and get her on the track to being healthy again means everything. Seeing her take something positive out of what started as fear feels really good.”
Her older sister Nia, five years older, admitted it was painful watching Ivy endure surgeries and medication.
“I couldn’t always be there because of school and cheer, but I wanted to be,” Nia said. “I’m proud of her. She’s brave. She’s gone through so much, and she keeps going.”
That is what a champion does.
She keeps going.
As Ivy begins her year representing children across Saskatchewan, she will attend events, thank donors and help families see that their support funds life-saving equipment, innovative research and family-centred programs.
But on Wednesday morning in Regina, none of that seemed as important as the sight of a little girl who once could not move now standing tall, surrounded by the community that helped save her.
