Hayes has grown up in a family of die-hard hockey fans and has developed into an ardent Flames follower at a very young age.

At four months old it was discovered that Hayes was living with a brain tumour the size of a small orange.  Later he was also diagnosed with choroid plexus papilloma in his third ventricle and doctors believed that it started to form in utero.  Treatment has been highly complicated and has carried extreme risk.  To eliminate the problem he endured seven surgeries in eleven months.  Two subsequent years of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and early intervention speech therapy has had a positive result and he is doing well now.  To be safe, he has an annual MRI as these types of tumours have a habit of reforming.

While at swimming lessons, Hayes’ mom Jill met Cathy, another mother whose child had received a wish last year.  Cathy encouraged Jill to contact CWF to explore the prospect of a wish being granted to Hayes.  After finding out that he was eligible, Jill asked Hayes what he wanted.  “To meet Iggy” was his immediate response.

On December 12, Hayes’ fifth birthday, the entire family met Jarome Iginla.  Hayes was star struck, but still revelled in every moment with his hero.  Later that day Murray Edwards (team owner) hosted them at the Flames’ home game.  They had dinner in a private suite, watched the game from a box, toured the media gallery and had birthday cake with Harvey the Hound during intermission (the team mascot).

“Thank you for everything that the Children’s Wish Foundation arranged,” said Jill.  It was an awesome birthday for Hayes; one he will never forget.”