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Meet Katelyn Ruggiero, Scheduling Officer for the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
13 years ago, when Katelyn Ruggiero (Katy), was 37 weeks pregnant, her whole life shifted. Her family, including her husband and 2.5-year-old son, Luca, were in a severe car accident. Her son absorbed the brunt of the hit and was airlifted to CHEO. Meanwhile, her husband received care for his injuries and Katy started going into labour. During the early stages of labour, Katy remembers receiving a call from Luca’s neurosurgeon – he told her that Luca had a 50% chance of making it through surgery, but that they should try. Fighting against the odds, her young little fighter made it through and started his long recovery in CHEO’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).
Katy’s labour slowed and she was able to visit Luca in the PICU the following day. The next three weeks were touch and go – with several lifesaving feats from CHEO’s medical staff and Luca continuing to fight despite the odds. At the end of these three weeks, Luca moved to CHEO’s 4 West inpatient unit and Katy’s daughter, Lexi, was born. A long 10 months began as Luca recovered, and Lexi spent the first months of her life visiting her older brother at CHEO.
Today, Luca is a happy 15-year-old boy living with a traumatic brain injury. Reflecting back on the care she received over those many months, and the years after, Katy says, “As a parent, I was heard. CHEO treats the whole family – they care for the child, and they support the parents. They gave us the tools to help Luca succeed and were always there to answer our questions and pick up our calls.”
While Katy has worked in health care for 20 years, and the last 10 as a staffing officer, she’s new to CHEO. When a position opened in 2023, it was a calling. “I feel like I came home,” says Katy, “I used to walk into the PICU and find it traumatic. But today, I get to go home and give my son a hug because the PICU saved his life.” Katy describes coming to work for CHEO as a full circle moment. “I feel very blessed to give back in a way that matters. It’s been an honour and a real privilege to staff and support these teams.”
Part of what makes CHEO so special in Katy’s eyes is the teamwork, the strong support system and the way CHEO puts family-centred care at the forefront. Back then it was about the nurses offering to hold her newborn daughter Lexi as she visited Luca. Today, it’s about walking the halls and seeing many of the smiling faces that saved her son’s life 13 years prior.
CHEO is filled with people, like Katy, committed to giving back. Join us.