Around fifty sick children were able to attend the Santa Claus parade that took place in Montreal on Saturday afternoon.
These children were able to attend the event in a room reserved by Urgences-Santé, where around a hundred of its employees were present on a voluntary basis to be available to the children’s families and to ensure their transport.
Among the children was the young Alexa Leduc with stars in her eyes.
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“It’s the first time I’ve seen Santa Claus,” she said.
The CHU Sainte-Justine is her second home as she underwent a liver transplant a few weeks after her birth.
The event is also special for the health workers present on site.
“We are not working today,” says paramedic Marie-Ève Beaulieu. It is a privilege that we have to be able to not take a sick child who needs care to the hospital, but that today he is well enough that we can pick him up and have a good time.”
Urgences-Santé has been taking part in the event for 25 years.
“We are talking about thousands of small patients transported to the Santa Claus parade,” says Jean-Pierre Rouleau, spokesman for Urgences-Santé.
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Santa’s procession consisted of 13 allegorical floats, in addition to the presence of the Star Fairy, numerous elves and the recent Gray Cup champions.
This year several thousand people came to the event.