Recent Success Stories

Who is Herbie helping?

Jared Presillas, Philippines

When 2-year-old Jared Presillas returned to the Philippines in July 2011, his family could finally begin “a new chapter in their lives,” according to his father, Gino. Only a few short months earlier, Gino and his wife, Maricel, would have to consciously stop themselves from thinking about Jared’s future since there was so much uncertainty about how much longer he would live.

Soyam Takele, Ethiopia

Soyam Takele was born on September 27, 2005 in Addis, Ethiopia. She was born perfectly healthy and considered a gift to her family as she was the only girl among four children.

An Binh, Vietnam

13-year-old An Binh is a hospital veteran. Before coming to The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in January 2011, he already had at least 12 surgical procedures in his home country, Vietnam.

Mary-Joanne and Mary-Janice, Phillipines

Rowena, mother to seven year-old twins Mary-Joanne and Mary-Janice, used to wake up several times a night to check that her daughters were healthy. At age five, both girls had been diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a rare illness that, in brief episodes, can cause the heart to beat upwards of 230 times a minute – almost four times faster than a normal heart rate!