Maggie Joslin back in Verona, but hurdles still remain

Jeff Green and Sarah Hannon | Jan 05, 2022

It was a happy day for the Joslin family in Verona, when their daughter Maggie was able to come home from Bloorview Holland Children's Rehab hospital in Toronto for the holidays.

Ever since early August, when Maggie underwent a 9.5 hour operation on a very large tumour on her spine. The operation saved her life, but left her with an acute onset of quadriplegia. She is doing rehab to recover her strength and is also undergoing a long-term chemotherapy treatment which will continue through 2022.

As she spent the fall in the Toronto hospital, her parents Kate and Pat taking turns with her, work was underway back in Verona preparing the family home for her return. Through an ongoing GoFundme campaign, that has raised almost $80,000 of a $150,000 goal so far, and numerous other community initiatives, the Joslin's were able to get the house ready for Maggie's return.

When she did come home, it was a great day for the entire family, particularly for her little sister Rosie.

“Maggie was looking forward to spending time with her sister and as a whole family with the cats too. Due to COVID there were restrictions on how Rosie was able to visit Holland Bloorview,” said Kate Joslin in an email interview with the Frontenac News this week.

It was a quiet holiday in most homes this year because of he COVID situation, but that suited the Joslin's just fine, as Maggie was able to hang out with her sister, and visit with both sets of grandparents at different times.

And the village of Verona took special note of her return. Allison Williams, who has been babysitting Maggie since infancy and owns Winding Road Coffee Co., reached out to all of the local businesses that have signs outside their building to see if they would welcome Maggie home in covid safe way. She wanted to find a way to surprise Maggie and her family but also find a way that they could feel connected to the community, despite the pandemic. Immediately she was overwhelmed by the support. “No one said no.” Allison told the Frontenac News, and was emotional describing how the community came together to illustrate “how our community embraces, supports and gives everyone, including kids, a sense of belonging and worth.” All of the businesses contacted were eager to participate and the signs were ready to surprise Maggie and Kate for her return home on the 23rd.

“The community support is unreal. We are continually blown away by all the love and support. The signs welcoming Maggie home was the icing on the cake of her discharge day and definitely brought a tear of happiness to all of our family. We are so thankful for where we live. Nothing beats a small town,” said Kate.

Even the first chemo session at Kingston Health Sciences Centre was a positive experience.

“Our first chemo session at KGH was as amazing as a chemo session could be,” she said. “The staff were really fantastic. We start our physio and occupational therapy sessions this week but have already been in touch with the staff. The staff at Kids Inclusive are just as amazing and have been preparing for Maggie's return to school, whenever that happens.”

One of the concerns for the Joslin's going forward in the local region and in Kingston, is the availability of adult washrooms in public settings.

“Right now she requires regular catheterization and having access to an appropriate space is huge” she said. “We have been in touch with the city of Kingston and as of right now we know of one fully accessible special needs washroom at the Rideau Heights Community Centre with the plans of putting another one at the community center in the east end. Due to COVID, the community centre was closed over the holidays and thus not available for us to use. There is also one at Artillery park which is also currently closed until the end of January. Fully accessible washroom, with adult change tables, should be at all libraries, arenas and city run facilities.

“Babies can be changed on adult tables but it doesn't quite work the other way around.”

Maggies school mates, local families and the staff at Prince Charles' Public School are awaiting her return, after the school return, whenever that happens.

A fundraising effort at the school raised money for a ramp at the Joslin's house, and Prince Charles, the Limestone Board, and the Kids Inclusive Program at Hotel Dieu hospital in Kingston have worked together to help make that return possible.

The GoFundMe campaign is ongoing for those interested in participating. Go to GoFundMe.org and type Maggie in the search bar.