“Within four or five hours, your whole life changes,” says Preston’s dad, Travis.
Before cancer, Preston’s family was building a joyful, busy life together. Their days were filled with school runs, soccer practices, and swim lessons. While their daughter Charleigh, who lives with autism, had her own unique needs, Preston was easygoing and full of light. He was the child they never had to worry about.
Life felt steady. Full of possibility.
Then, in November 2023, everything changed.
It started with small, worrying signs that did not seem serious at first. Fatigue, pale skin and cuts and nicks that were slow to heal. During a routine visit, their doctor noticed something that didn’t feel right and ordered further testing. That decision led them to the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Within hours of arriving, their world shifted. Preston was diagnosed with leukemia.
“Within four or five hours, your whole life changes,” says Preston’s dad, Travis.
A cancer diagnosis turned their lives upside down. Suddenly, their days revolved around hospital stays, medical procedures, fear and uncertainty. Playdates disappeared and the childhood he knew was put on hold.
For Charleigh, the impact was immediate and overwhelming. Her brother, her best friend, suddenly started going away for long stretches.
“Her behaviours changed drastically and she was really struggling,” Kristin, Preston’s mom, shares.
This is what cancer does. It doesn’t just affect one child. It reshapes the entire family in ways no one is prepared for.
In those early days, everything felt overwhelming. But because of your support, the Siltala family was connected to Kids Cancer Care, and slowly, they began to find moments of relief again.
Charleigh joined our Siblings Program Preston joined our PEER exercise program, and Cancer in the Classroom, a program that helps kids with cancer talk to their classmates about their diagnosis and treatment.
But it was camp, made possible by your generosity, that truly transformed their journey.
After months of hearing “no” to everything — no swimming, no playdates, no normal childhood — Preston finally got to hear “yes.” Because of you, Preston experienced the joy of SunRise, a day camp in Calgary for little ones. He laughed, played, and connected with other children.
“At SunRise, he could just be a kid again,” says Preston’s mom Kristin. “Every day, he came home excited, full of stories. He realized he wasn’t alone.”
For Charleigh, Camp Kindle became just as meaningful. What started as a difficult emotional journey turned into a place of comfort and belonging. Even months later, she still treasures letters from camp, reading and re-reading them as reminders that she is supported and understood.
But none of this happens without you. Right now, there are children like Preston who are still in treatment. Still isolated. Still missing out on the simple joys of childhood.
This summer, both Preston and Charleigh are heading back to Camp Kindle. They will return to a place where they can reconnect with friends. In addition to all magical things at camp, this year they’ll experience the new spaces including Shane Homes Treehouse Village, Christine’s Conservatory, vibrant, outdoor and accessible percussion playground, supported by Morrison Homes and much more, spaces built to spark joy, creativity, and healing.
The entire family has also experienced that joy together at Family Camp. Sitting around the campfire, belting out sing along songs and sharing laughter together, are some of their favourite memories.
“It was the first time we could talk about cancer without the conversation stopping… everyone just understood,” says Travis.
Today, Preston is in remission and life is slowly finding a new rhythm. But what carried them through was connection, community and moments of joy made possible by you.
Kids Cancer Care did not just help Preston through cancer. With you at our side, we helped his entire family find their way forward.
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