Brad's Story
A Lifetime of Resilience
Living with OA/TOF
I was born in 1959 at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. From the moment I entered the world, my life was a fight for survival.
Shortly after my birth, I was transferred to the University of Alberta Hospital, where doctors discovered that I was born with Oesophageal Atresia (OA) and Tracheoesophageal Fistula (TOF), along with other congenital differences
Early Childhood
My OA/TOF required immediate attention. In those days, treatment options were very different from what they are today, and survival was far from guaranteed. Within my first few days of life, surgeons repaired the tracheoesophageal fistula to prevent food and fluids from entering my lungs.
Because there was a significant gap between the two ends of my oesophagus, I could not be fed normally.
Instead, I was nourished through a tube directly into my stomach while doctors worked toward the next stage of my treatment.
When I reached a weight of approximately 20 pounds, I underwent a major operation at the University of Alberta Hospital: a retrosternal colon interposition, where a section of my colon was used to create a replacement oesophagus.
This complex surgery was necessary because the gap in my natural oesophagus was too large to repair directly.
My first two and a half years of life were spent in hospital.
During that time, I endured numerous surgeries and medical procedures, all aimed at giving me the chance to live. My parents and medical team faced many uncertainties, but through their determination, skill, and perseverance, I survived.
I was later identified as a VACTERL child, meaning I was born with a combination of congenital anomalies associated with the VACTERL association.
Like many VACTERL survivors, my journey has involved challenges that have continued throughout my life, but it has also been a journey marked by strength, adaptation, and resilience.
One lasting reminder of my early medical care was the effect of tetracycline, a medication I received as a child. At the time, the long-term impact on developing teeth was not fully understood.
The medication caused permanent discoloration of my teeth. Growing up with this difference affected my confidence and my relationship with dental care. Eventually, after many years of avoiding dental treatment, I made the difficult decision to have all of my teeth removed in December 2017.
Looking back, my story is not only about the surgeries I endured or the challenges I faced. It is about survival. I was born at a time when many babies with conditions like OA/TOF and VACTERL Association did not survive.
Advances in medicine have changed many lives, but those of us from earlier generations carry the stories of what was possible before today’s treatments existed.
At 66 years old, I am proud to share my journey as a VACTERL survivor. My hope is that by telling my story, I can help others feel less alone, raise awareness of VACTERL association, and remind fellow survivors that our experiences matter.
We are more than our diagnoses. We are survivors, advocates, and VACTERL Visionaries.