8-year-old 'superstar' named 2024 ambassador of patients at Alberta Children's Hospital
A young Calgary-area girl has been chosen as this year's ambassador for the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation because she's impressing doctors with her abilities and ambitions.
"She is a superstar," said Dr. Adam Kirton, a pediatric neurologist with Alberta Children's Hospital.
Claire Sonnenberg has cerebral palsy and is unable to move or talk on her own, but the eight-year-old is using cutting-edge technology called Brain Computer Interface (BCI) to explore the world and communicate like she never could before.
"It's a way for her to connect with the world without having to use her body. She can just use her brain," Kirton said.
"She is in a sense trapped in her body.
"But she's highly capable, very intelligent, very aware of the world around her."
With the use of a cap hooked up to her brain, Claire has learned to use her mind to control devices.
"I didn't believe it on Day 1 when she turned a light on, and then she drove a wheelchair," said Claire's mother, Stephanie Sonnenberg, who explained her daughter also loves to bake and started a cooking business.
"This year, she opened a company as an eight-year-old entrepreneur. So the future holds everything for her."
She has conquered such a wide variety of new skills that she stands out for doctors at Alberta Children's Hospital.
"We have many families participating who have all achieved things. But Claire and her family have been uniquely successful in not just the number of things they've learned to do, but in the different environments," Kirton said.
He says technologies like this are expanding rapidly, but few focus on children.
"Having kids like Claire and their families tell us what BCI needs to do for kids with unique brain challenges ... they give us the good ideas and we try to tweak the technology to make it work," Kirton said.
The technology is helping Claire express herself, gain independence and interact with her family including her two younger brothers.
"They can play board games with her they can play video games with her. And you know, she can shoot them with the water gun and they can actually get mad at her for doing something," their mom said.
"It's really life-changing."
This year is also expected to be life-changing.
As the official ambassador, Claire represents 100,000 kids cared for at the hospital each year at events in Canada and the U.S.
"It's just the biggest honour that she can get … and us as parents," her mom said.
Kirton says Alberta Children's Hospital is one of the leading facilities in clinical trials of BCI and there is a long wait list of patients hoping to be part of the program.
In Sept. 2022, the Sonnenberg family, from De Winton, Alta., launched a GoFundMe page aiming to raise $44,600 to help Claire walk.
As of Thursday, $30,000 had been raised.
With files from Timm Bruch
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Baby and grandparents killed in wrong-way crash involving police on Ontario's Highway 401
An infant and the child's grandparents – aged 55 and 60 – were all killed when a vehicle being pursued by police in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Whitby, Ont. caused a crash involving at least six vehicles, the Special Investigations Unit says. The driver of the suspect vehicle also died.
Judge holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000 and raises threat of jail in hush money trial
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. If he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
New cancer treatment approved, but not everyone thinks it's what's best for patients
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
This is how many dentists have actually signed up for Canada's new free dental program
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 13-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a east London suburb early Tuesday, killing a 13-year-old boy and injuring four others, authorities said.
Police searching for 'armed man' in Dartmouth, N.S., residents asked to shelter in place
Residents in the area of Gaston Road in Dartmouth, N.S., are being asked to shelter in place as police search for an armed suspect.