McMaster Children’s Hospital opens Indigenous families room in memory of Makayla Sault – Two Row Times
Officials say creation of the space is a visible step toward reconciliation with indigenous communities
HAMILTON — McMaster Children’s Hospital took a historic act of reconciliation with an indigenous family this week with the opening of an Indigenous families room in memory of Makayla Sault.
Makayla was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2014.
Makayla was the first of two First Nations children in Ontario to exclusively refuse chemotherapy as the sole form of treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at McMaster Children’s Hospital. Instead, her parents — Ken and Sonya Sault, honoured their daughter’s choice and what followed was months of fear for the indigenous family as doctors pursued a court order to put Makayla back in chemotherapy against her wishes.
