Meet the Board

Board of Directors

The Hirschsprung's Heroes Family Support Network is entirely overseen and governed by a volunteer board of directors, who have in some way or another, been affected by Hirschsprung's Disease.  

Founder, Chairperson and Treasurer: Jayme Chute

My husband Mike and youngest daughter Haylie were both born with Hirschsprung's Disease. When Mike and I were expecting our first daughter Jaedyn, we saw a genetic counsellor who told us that we had a very low chance of having a child with HD. Jaedyn was born in 2015 and she was perfectly healthy so we never gave it much more thought when we found out we were expecting Haylie. 

Haylie was born in May of 2018 with multiple health complications and after a lengthy hospital admission, she was diagnosed with Total Colonic HD. At the age of two months, she had an emergency ileostomy. At the age of 1 year old, she had her entire colon (large intestine) removed and the last 25 cm of her ileum (small intestine). At the age of 1.5 years, she had her first pull through surgery. Over the next two years she had 2 revision surgeries, a feeding tube inserted, 6 rounds of Botox injections in the operating room and another ileostomy surgery. At the age of 3.5 years old she had a revision pull through surgery in Washington, DC. Over the next 2.5 years Haylie had an ileostomy reversal, another 7 rounds of Botox injections in the operating room, multiple tests and procedures and several trials of medications and therapies to try to manage her HD. Unfortunately, nothing seemed to work and in March of 2024 Haylie had another ileostomy surgery. 

Haylie is now 6 years old and doing great, but it was a very long road for her and our entire family. We spent over 220 nights in the hospital. During this extremely hard time, we had no one to talk to or lean on for support other than our families a few families we met in online support groups. Having a medically complex child is extremely difficult and often very isolating.

This is why we founded the HD Heroes Family Support Network. The more families I meet with HD, the more I realize we are not alone. Many of us are going through similar difficult situations and have similar feelings, and it is helpful, encouraging and hopeful to talk to these other families.

My goal is to help bring HD patients and families together to help learn and support each other, to raise awareness for HD, to encourage parents and caregivers to advocate for their child and to advocate for all HD heroes and support research for a cure. 

Co Founder and Vice Chairperson: Mike Chute

Mike is married to Jayme and is the father of two daughters. Mike and his youngest daughter Haylie were born with Hirschsprung's Disease. Mike is the Vice President of Gardewine, a transportation company based out of Winnipeg. Mike and Jayme founded HD Heroes Family Support Network after experiencing a great need for support and resources for both patients and parents affected by HD.

Secretary: Melody Tardiff

Melody is a wife and mother of two boys. Melody's youngest son Charlie was born with Hirschsprung's Disease.

Board Member: Thomas McKie

Thomas was diagnosed with Total Colonic Hirschsprung’s shortly after birth, and 26 years later it’s still something he is learning to manage everyday. 

It’s a condition that has undeniably shaped who he is and how he lives his life, but it’s also never been a label he felt should limit what he is capable of accomplishing. 

As a board member, Thomas draws upon both his personal experience with HD, and the knowledge from his career as a Psychotherapist working in community mental health, private practice, and our medical system, to provide support and system navigation to children and their families.

Thomas has a Masters in Counselling Psychology and facilitates the support groups offered by HD Heroes Family Support Network.

Hirschsprung's Heroes Child Registration

If you or your child is an HD patient at HSC Children's Hospital and you would like to receive invitations to our events throughout the year, please fill out the form below.