Four-year-old Ian Ytsma was all smiles and joy with a bag full of candy Sunday evening (Oct. 27) as he got to go trick-or-treating early in his North Vancouver neighbourhood.
Nearly 50 homes in the Pemberton Heights area came together to make sure Ian didn’t miss out on the fun after finding out that he will be having his third open-heart surgery on Oct. 31.
“I’m just so grateful,” Natalia Ytsma, Ian’s mom, said. “For people to just come together for this little guy who’s been through so much, it’s really heartwarming.”
Ian was born with an unbalanced atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD), which is a lack of symmetry between left and right sides of the heart. He has a hole in his heart, making it more difficult to pump blood throughout his body. Ian had his first heart surgery at two weeks old, and another at six months.
The next surgery Ian is having is called a Fontan, Natalia said, describing how a doctor will basically restructure the heart to bypass the ventricles and start pumping blood directly to the lungs.
“He’s been a trooper, he takes three blood pressure medications a day with his breakfast, and gets winded when he walks up stairs," said Natalia. "Other than that, you wouldn’t notice. He’s a happy-go-lucky four-year-old.”
Nearly a dozen children and parents came to join Ian dressed up for trick-or-treating, cheering him on when he got to another house and climbed the hefty stairs to score more candy. Ian’s brother James, who dressed up as a Ghostbuster, tagged along with him to every house in case he needed help.
“It’s just such a nice collection of kids, and I think a little bit of empathy as we come to understand someone in a vulnerable position, I think that’s beautiful,” Natalia said.
Ian’s dad, David, held his flashlight on a hand-drawn, laminated map a neighbour created showing all the houses taking part in the little astronaut’s night.
But Ian didn’t just get candy. He also received activity books and stuffies for his hospital stay, as well as words of encouragement.
Originally the surgery was supposed to be scheduled in the summer but it was rescheduled for early October so they could do more testing. But the BC Children's Hospital needed to bring in a surgeon all the way from Edmonton, Alta., and the only availability was on Halloween.
“We were kind of bummed, because it was the first year I think he was truly excited about it,” Natalia said.
But Ian was giggling when he found out he could go trick-or-treating. As the big day approached, he started asking every 30 minutes or so when it was time to go out.
This night means a lot to the family too, as they moved to North Vancouver from Ontario in 2019 and don’t have other family nearby.
“To finally feel like we found a home and to feel that sense of love and community, it’s almost hard to express,” said Natalia.
The recovery could take between one to three weeks, depending on how Ian's heart takes to the new pumping system, she said. The Ytsma family is now preparing for the surgery with blood work, ultrasounds and soon meeting the surgeon. A family friend has created a fundraiser for the Ytsma's to help them focus on Ian's healing and well-being after the surgery.
But Ian's spirits are lifted. How was his big night? “100 times a million fun,” he said.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative. [email protected]
