Payton Sernick has gained admirers locally, provincially and elsewhere for her infectious enthusiasm and resiliency.
After all, Payton, the daughter of Andrea and Cheyenne Sernick, maintained her smile despite a battle with Stage 4 acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoma.
She was diagnosed with the form of cancer in the fall of 2014, when she was six years old, and after being declared cancer free, is in hospital in Edmonton now that the cancer has returned.
But the latest cancer fight isn’t going to stop her from her latest recognition: she has been selected as the Saskatchewan ambassador for the Champions Program presented by Walmart Canada.
The program honours remarkable children who have triumphed despite medical challenges.
Each child acts as an ambassador for their Children’s Miracle Network hospital. In Payton’s case, she will be the representative for the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan.
“It feels really good,” Payton said in an interview with the Mercury. “It’s really fun to represent all sick children in Saskatchewan through the children’s hospital.”
Payton will have interviews throughout the year to promote the hospital, and will be a face for the children’s hospital in the province. She will help promote a radiothon fundraiser, and speak to major donors.
“They needed an adorable face behind the hospital, and she has one,” said Andrea. “Payton has a good story, and she likes to talk about her story.”
It’s going to be a busy year, and Payton is looking forward to doing as much as she can to encourage people to donate. After all, there are so many sick kids in the province.
Jana Len, the director of annual giving for the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan, said Payton has been a supporter for a number of years now.
“She is such a brave and resilient little girl that she really embodies everything that it means to be a champion,” said Len. “So we just thought that she’s a really great representative of all sick and injured kids across the province.”
And Payton has been a tremendous fundraiser for the foundation.
“It’s pretty incredible that as a sick child herself, she has taken it upon herself with her brother’s and family’s support to raise money to help other kids as well,” said Len.
There are so many kids across the province who have been amazing ambassadors and would be deserving champions for the children’s hospital. But Len said Payton stood out for her attitude and her willingness to embody the foundation.
All champions are young people who have triumphed despite severe medical illness or injury.
“It really puts a face to the cause, so that people are able to see where their donations are going,” said Len. “Any donation that’s made in Saskatchewan stays in the province.”
Sandra Isbister, the operations manager at the Estevan Walmart, praised Payton for her determination.
“She has conquered one battle and is now fighting a second, showing great courage, faith and strength. This experience is one that no child should have to endure,” said Isbister. “We believe in supporting Children’s Miracle Network to help kids like Payton win the greatest fights of their lives. Keep fighting Payton.”
The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan approached Payton about the honour before the most recent cancer diagnosis.
“The first thing that Payton had said when she was diagnosed, was she was concerned about her job, her job as the Champion Child this year,” said Sernick.
“But they came to the hospital in Saskatoon, and Jana reassured Payton that the job was still 100 per cent hers.”
Andrea said it’s rough timing for Payton to be the champion child, since her cancer fight is ongoing. But the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan has been wonderful for the Sernick family.
“We wish we weren’t in this situation, and she could be travelling around and doing all of her interviews and all that fun stuff in person, and representing them at all their fundraisers, but we’re going to be doing a lot of that remotely,” said Andrea. “The children’s hospital is making a lot of that happen for us.”
This isn’t the first time Payton has been involved with the children’s hospital. In 2016, she was a junior ambassador for the foundation, and launched the Cancer Sucks project, in which she spoke to schools and organizations, and she and her younger brother Beckham sold sucker rods and other items. Her father built a playhouse that was sold as a fundraiser.
Her goal was to raise $5,000, but she raised more than $37,000.
Her efforts earned her a Young Philanthropist Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Regina chapter.
“I can be a voice for kids who really need this hospital,” said Payton. “I can tell people my story and hope they understand what it feels like to be in hospital with a serious disease. The new children’s hospital will be different and really fun. We deserve a place just for us.”
The Sernicks have been in Edmonton since the end of November due to Payton’s latest diagnosis. It started with a doctor’s appointment last fall to go over the results of a PET scan. The following day, the Sernicks were told the cancer was back, and two days later Payton was undergoing surgery.
“Things just moved really quick, so it’s hard to communicate that with everybody,” said Andrea.
Eventually, the Sernicks made their way to the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton. She underwent surgery earlier in January to remove a new tumour in her abdomen. Her family is anticipating a stay of up to six months for extensive treatment.
“It was the largest surgery she has ever had,” said Andrea. “Her recovery is going really well. It’s surprising how fast everything is moving.”
She has been able to continue some of her studies in Edmonton, and attend class through Facetime at her local school, Sacred Heart School/Ecole Sacre Coeur.
“She has been doing some of her work on her own,” said Andrea. “We have a couple of school books that we follow as well. But at this point, health comes first, fun comes second and school comes a little lower on the totem pole.
“She’s a smart kid, and it won’t be a problem, and she’ll be able to catch up. If she can read, she can learn.”
Payton will eventually become a bone marrow transplant patient in Calgary.
Andrea said the family had heard amazing things about the Stollery, and they’re strong supporters of the concept of a children’s hospital.
The staff at the Stollery has been great.
“It’s nice to have everything all under one roof, and just knowing that everything you could possibly could need in this journey is available,” said Andrea. “We don’t need to go anywhere else. We can just have everything right there.
“All the people are really great. I think everybody really wants to work at a children’s hospital.”
One nurse refers to herself as Princess Anna, and is incredibly popular with the younger children. Payton is fond of her, too.
“Everything is really child-related and mental health related, and really caring about children’s feelings,” said Andrea. “It’s not just running to do an ultrasound. They make sure that it’s appropriate for a child and comfortable for a child. All the expectations of what a children’s hospital should be, we’re receiving that.”
Payton has spent more than 200 days in hospital through her two battles with cancer.
People in Estevan remain supportive as well. Local residents have treated the Sernicks children well. So many people have donated money to the Children’s Hospital through Cancer Sucks, and there has been lots of love, caring, prayers and well-wishes.
“That’s really important, because there are a lot of people … who have sick children who don’t have that support system, and they don’t have a community that can show their love like Estevan does.”
