Eriksdale family opens sunflower field to give back to Children’s Hospital Foundation
When 12-year-old Freya Darknell of Eriksdale was airlifted to Winnipeg Children’s Hospital last winter, her family could only hope she’d pull through. Months later, the now-13-year-old stood among a sea of golden sunflowers, welcoming visitors to her family’s farm — and giving back to the hospital that helped save her life.
In February, Freya’s seemingly ordinary cold took a turn for the worse, resulting in a two-week stay at the Children’s Hospital. She developed influenza A, which later caused pneumonia. When her mom, Arlene Darknell, brought her to the Ashern hospital emergency room, staff quickly realized she was in critical condition and Freya was flown by STARS air ambulance to Winnipeg.
“No one quite knew what was happening, but we are incredibly thankful for the action everyone took to take care of Freya,” Darknell said.
Freya spent seven days in the pediatric intensive care unit in an induced coma and on a ventilator. She spent another week on the regular ward as she continued to receive around-the-clock care. Through it all, her parents stayed nearby in the Ronald McDonald Family Room and Ronald McDonald House.
“We had never had to use any of the Children’s Hospital services before, so it was a huge shock to our family,” said Darknell. “But the support she received was wonderful, and we immediately knew we needed to find a way to say thank you for all they gave to Freya and our family. This was very important to us.”
Freya has since made a full recovery and was ready to give back this summer. On Aug. 23 and 24, her family opened their two-acre sunflower field for a U-pick fundraiser in support of the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba. About 120 people visited the farm to pick bouquets, raising more than $2,000.
“We wanted to make this a unique experience for people, and it turned out better than we ever expected,” Darknell said. “It was really nice to see everybody having a good time, and we are very fortunate for everyone who came by over the weekend.”
Local photographer Haylee Jade Photography also took advantage of the picturesque scene, offering mini family photo sessions to those picking sunflowers and donating half of her proceeds to Freya’s fundraiser.
It was the first time the Darknells had grown sunflowers, and when they began seeding in June, they weren’t sure what would come of it. By mid-August, the plants still hadn’t bloomed due to a seasonal drought. But after returning from a nearly two-week vacation, they came home to a sea of yellow flowers — and decided to open the field that weekend.
They officially dropped off their donation at the hospital on Sept. 18 following one of Freya’s follow-up appointments. Darknell said the hospital staff were extremely grateful for the gift and that the funds would go toward purchasing a new piece of equipment.
“We are very thankful to have that type of hospital here in Manitoba,” she said. “We’re glad to be able to give back in some way.”
