The need for trauma care can happen at any moment. For Brent Peterson, the need came from a serious vehicle collision on a busy southern Saskatchewan highway.

More than eight years ago, Brent and his family were travelling up Lumsden Hill just outside Regina, when a semitrailer, changing lanes to pass a snow plow, struck their van. The collision claimed the life of his 16-year-old sister, and he and his parents required emergency care at the Regina General Hospital.

While Brent and his parents survived, his own road to recovery had only just begun. Over the next eight months, the then 14-year-old from Saskatoon courageously fought for his life. He underwent four aorta surgeries, a back surgery, and 38 separate surgeries to close a stomach wound.

“Brent was hanging on by a thread. Every day was touch and go,” says his mother, Carolyn. “I don’t want to imagine how different his recovery could have been were it not for the quality health-care services available.”

“There were times where I didn’t know if I would get better or have the chance at a normal life,” says Brent. “I was a very active kid. After the accident, I wasn’t able to walk very well and I was forced to use a wheelchair.”

The resilient 23-year-old is leading a happy, healthy and productive life. Today, he is an oil change technician with aspirations of attending university in the near future. While he has come a long way since the accident, he recognizes that he could never have done it alone.

“It meant the world to me to know that I was receiving the best care possible,” he says. “My family and I would put the services available at Regina’s hospitals up against any in the world. That level of care is only possible thanks to the investments made by the Foundation and the continued support of its donors. I am living proof that even the smallest donation can have a significant impact.”

Michele Myrah, manager of the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) at the Regina General Hospital, says she and the staff of MICU will

always view Brent as their "miracle boy."

“It is a special time when Brent and his parents come to visit. It is rewarding for us to see him smiling and enjoying life, knowing all that he went through at such a young age,” says Michele. “He has been given a second chance at life. Thanks to Hospitals of Regina Foundation and the overwhelming support of our community, we can help ensure many more patients leave happier than when they arrive.”

“Brent’s journey is an example of how life can change in the blink of an eye,” says Dino Sophocleous, president and CEO, Hospitals of Regina Foundation. “Through your generous support, doctors had the tools they needed to provide him with excellent care. Your continued support will ensure we have the equipment in place to make lives better for patients.”