I am very sorry to hear that you and your family went through that. I know nothing will take the pain away. Keep fighting, you deserve answers along with bringing the Martha's rule here would be amazing. I wish you all the best and my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Salahaddin Abrar
—
It was May 2025 when I held my newborn baby in my arms, and I knew right away that he would be the most precious treasure I would ever hold. It almost felt like a part of my soul latched onto him. It’s hard to find the words to describe what I felt, but every parent remembers what they felt in that moment.
By God’s grace, he was a perfectly healthy baby, our first child and my parents’ first grandchild.
We named him Salahaddin, which means “the goodness of faith.”
Watching him grow up was the greatest blessing of our lives: from having to support his neck when we held him, to holding him up unsupported, to seeing him wiggle on his tummy, learn to crawl, sit, and finally stand up on his own two feet.
He loved oranges: loved to eat them when hungry, loved to squish them when bored, loved to throw them around when angry. He was also the only human I’ve ever known to love eating limes.
He loved to be outdoors, cruising in his ride as we pushed him along, whether on a hike, exploring town, or wandering a quiet mall. He never made a fuss when we were out and about; he loved watching the world and its people as they went about their business.
Almost every day, he would crawl up to my home office door and bang on it until I gave in and opened it. Then he’d crawl over to my desk and demand to be picked up, so of course I’d sit him on my lap. He’d reach over to the laptop and start smashing the keys like he had a deadline of his own.
He could not understand why I would choose a screen over playing with him. How I wish I hadn’t. There’s no banging on my door anymore.
We were granted some of his firsts: giving him his first feed, first diaper change, first shower, first lullaby… but we will never see him take his first steps, never hear him call us babba and mumma, never teach him to ride a bike, to swim, or to play sports, and never see him make friends. We won’t see him grow up to be a man who would be a source of goodness in this world, a man we would be proud of.
In his brief 11 months of life, he was loved abundantly by his parents and his extended family, always the centre of attention and affection wherever he went.
He was in my arms as he took his first breath. He was in my arms as he took his last. Had the healthcare system not failed in his care, he would still be in my arms, never outgrowing them.
We will always be grateful to the nurses who helped us in the ER, and to the teams at BC Children’s and Stollery who fought for him.
His name means “the goodness of faith.” If his story and this campaign help even one family avoid what we went through, that goodness will live on.
We will miss him. I will miss him.
Forever.
Fly, my son, in the heavens above, unhindered. There are no breathing tubes to slow you down, no disease to hold you back.
Your abode is in gardens under which rivers flow. You were created for Paradise, and now nothing can hold you back.
Fly until we meet again, InshaAllah (God willing), in a place where there are no goodbyes. There, we will hold you in our arms once more, never to let you go.
The healthcare system failed Salahaddin
Salahaddin passed away in our arms around 7 am on April 19 from acute liver failure. Our boy, our world, could have been with us today, had the system not failed in his care.
Salahaddin was an 11-month-old infant. He could not speak, could not describe his symptoms, and could not advocate for himself. His safety depended entirely on the medical professionals responsible for his care recognising how gravely ill he was, and acting on it. That duty was owed to him.
He was failed not once, but at almost every point where someone could have recognised how sick he was and acted on it. The specific failures in his care are set out below.
The day that upended our lives
Before hospital · April 15–16
Salahaddin fell ill and had a few episodes of vomiting, and two episodes of white/chalky stools. We monitored him closely at home, giving him the electrolytes and nutrition he needed.
April 17
Brought to Surrey Memorial ER after repeated vomiting and lethargy. Told nothing was seriously wrong; given anti-nausea medication and oral electrolytes.
Discharged as “vomiting.” No bloodwork, no diagnostic workup, no glucose or blood pressure check. Our concerns were not taken seriously.
Found unresponsive at home; rushed back to the ER. Blood glucose critically low.
Emergency fluids and glucose via an intraosseous line (into the bone of his leg). Blood glucose stabilised.
Still unresponsive. Doctors still suspected nothing serious; said he would wake up.
Unresponsive, declining with each hour. No further tests or diagnostic work up; repeatedly told he would just wake up soon. He just lay in an ER bed for close to 10 hours without testing or treatment.
Only after we pushed hard, with the nurse’s help, did the physicians return to re-assess him.
We were told he was seriously ill and needed transfer to BC Children’s Hospital for critical care. He was intubated and transferred to critical care at BC Children’s Hospital.
April 18
BC Children’s Hospital told us his liver had failed; his only hope was a transplant.
Transferred to Stollery Children’s Hospital, Edmonton, for transplant assessment.
Critical care team tried to stabilise him; his condition kept deteriorating.
April 19
Salahaddin passed away in our arms.
Where the system failed
Discharged without any testing
At the first visit, despite his two-day history of illness, Salahaddin was discharged from the ER:
- Without a single blood test, any diagnostic workup, or even a check of his blood glucose or blood pressure.
- Ignoring red flags that required immediate diagnostic workup.
- Sent home with a diagnosis of “vomiting” and some oral electrolytes.
Within hours he was unresponsive. Only when we rushed him back was his blood glucose checked, and it was found to be at a critically low level.
No diagnosis, no additional testing
At the second ER visit, only one set of bloodwork was done. After that, Salahaddin lay in an ER bed for close to ten hours with no repeat bloodwork and no further diagnostics, even as his condition kept declining and bloodwork results already on record clearly pointed to something serious.
Our concerns were not taken seriously
Despite us repeatedly raising our concerns, the doctors simply kept telling us that he will wake up soon and there is no cause for worry. However, his existing blood test results, which we were unaware of at that point, clearly showed that his condition was much more serious, requiring intensive care.
The team only returned to seriously re-assess him after we pushed hard, with the help of the nurse assigned to his care. Ten hours after he was admitted in an unconscious state.
By the time his deterioration was finally acted on and he was transferred for intensive care, he was already critically ill, and had developed acute liver failure.
What we are asking for
Accountability for Salahaddin
We contacted Fraser Health to lodge a complaint about the lapses in the medical care of our son.
We are asking for
An independent investigation into, and accountability for, the serious lapses that happened in the care of our son and the repeated failings at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
Real changes to their internal processes and guidelines, so that no other child or adult suffers due to poor quality of medical care like our son did.
Healthcare reform in BC
We are calling for
The right to an urgent, independent medical review at the bedside
Any patient, parent, or caregiver should have the right to call for an urgent review by a senior medical team from outside the team currently in charge. That team assesses the patient with fresh eyes and can act on its own judgment: ordering tests, changing the treatment, or moving the patient to a higher level of care such as the ICU.
Why it matters. When the treating team has missed something or stopped listening, this breaks the deadlock. It puts independent senior eyes, with the power to act, at the bedside, instead of leaving a family to keep pleading with the people who are not listening. Families are often the first to see a patient slipping, long before the system reacts, and it protects everyone who cannot speak for themselves: children, seniors, and the critically ill.
This already exists in other countries, and it saves lives.
England (Martha’s Rule): in every acute care hospital, a patient or their family can trigger an escalation for an independent review of the care being given.
In the first 18 months:
- 4,047cases of acute decline were caught
- 2,310patients’ care plans were changed
- 524potentially life-saving transfers to higher-level care
Australia: a patient-and-family escalation pathway is required by law nationwide; Queensland’s “Ryan’s Rule” alone has been used nearly 14,000 times since 2013.
New Zealand: its national “Kōrero mai” (“talk to me”) program lets patients and their family escalate their concerns for an urgent response when they feel a patient is getting worse.
United States: in many hospitals, “Condition Help” lets a patient or family call an independent response team to the bedside when they fear a patient’s condition is worsening.
It is spreading. Wales has adopted it, Scotland is piloting it, and Ireland is considering it.
Canada is behind, and BC can lead
There is no province-wide or national equivalent anywhere in Canada. British Columbia has the opportunity to become the first province to make it a right for everyone.
We could not get anyone to listen for our son in time, but we are determined not to let it happen to any other family. Stand with us as we call on the BC government to make this a right, so that every patient and family is heard while it still matters.
Immediate establishment of an independent body to carry out investigations and oversight when a patient suffers serious or preventable harm
The health authority cannot be allowed to keep “investigating itself” lapse after lapse.
Publish complaint data
The provincial government has the data on patient-care complaints across BC. We ask that this data be made public: how many are filed each month, how long they take to resolve, how many are resolved, and how many are escalated, broken down by health authority.
By publishing this data, the government can increase transparency, help the public understand whether reforms are working, and allow every health authority to be measured against the rest.
Updates — our push for answers
We are currently pursuing this through a formal complaint to Fraser Health’s Patient Care Quality Office. Given the current responses and delays from the PCQO office, we are losing trust in the process and the people in charge of investigating this, but we will not stop until we have satisfactory answers. We will post updates here as the process moves forward.
Day 0 since the complaint was filed
Formal complaint filed with Fraser Health’s Patient Care Quality Office.
Day 2 since the complaint was filed
Fraser Health responded saying that they are “not able to provide a written response” to our questions, and instead suggested a meeting with “leadership” from Surrey Memorial Hospital.
Day 3 since the complaint was filed
First follow-up from our side, to understand why they cannot provide written answers to our questions.
Day 20 since the complaint was filed
Second follow-up. 20 days later, no response from the PCQO.
Day 32 since the complaint was filed
Third follow-up. One month later, no response from the PCQO.
Day 34 since the complaint was filed
Received a response from the PCQO. Their response states they will provide written answers to our questions, although they may not be able to answer all of them.
Day 93 since the complaint was filed
Three months later, our complaint remains unanswered. It is now well past Fraser Health’s 40-day deadline.
Day 112 since the complaint was filed
It’s close to 4 months since we submitted the complaint. It still remains unanswered.
Share your thoughts
28 comments added
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. I'm heartbroken for you and so sorry for the loss of your precious boy, and for the way he was failed. May Allah grant him the highest place in Jannah and give you strength and sabr.
I am soo sorry to hear about this And i don't even have words to console 🩷 May Allah bless you with the best here and hereatfer And we definitely ask the authorities to take action and give a briefing on this matter...
May god gives back to you him as a second child. I am really sorry for your loss and pain you have been. I always pray that every time you miss him, god bless you with strength.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un Im so sorry for your loss, this is really difficult time for you and your family, may Allah give you sabar Ameen And I pray that this campaign brings accountability and meaningful changes to our healthcare system and protect all of us from this healthcare negligence.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun. My heart feels so heavy after reading about little Salahaddin and i am so sorry for your loss. May Allah SWT grant little Salahaddin Jannatul Firdaus and give you and family sabr-e-jameel strength, and comfort during this unimaginable pain. Ameen. 🤲🏻 No family should ever have to go through such a heartbreaking loss while searching for answers. I pray that this campaign brings accountability, meaningful changes to our healthcare system, and better protection for other children and families. May your voice be heard and concerns be taken seriously and your courage lead to lasting change. May Allah reward you for your strength and courage in speaking up, and may He surround your family with mercy, patience, and peace. Ameen. 🤍
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. 🤍💔 Wallahi, reading Salahaddin’s story has left my heart so heavy. No parent should ever have to experience the pain of saying goodbye to their precious child, especially when that little life should have had so many beautiful years ahead of it. My heart aches for you both. I cannot begin to imagine the emptiness of a home where his little footsteps once echoed, the silence where his laughter once filled the room, or the pain of waking up every day and missing a piece of your heart. Little Salahaddin was clearly so deeply loved, and that love will never end. May Allah SWT surround you both with His infinite mercy, grant you Sabr-e-Jameel, and give you strength on the days when the grief feels unbearable. May Allah make your beautiful boy a means of intercession for you on the Day of Judgement, and may He reunite you with your precious son in Jannatul Firdaus, where you will hold him again forever, without pain, without illness, and without ever having to say goodbye again. Ameen Ya Rabbul Aalameen. 🤲🏻 May Allah also grant you justice and let your efforts bring meaningful change, so that no other family has to endure such a heartbreaking tragedy. May this campaign become a lasting Sadaqah-e-Jariyah for little Salahaddin, and may his name continue to bring goodness, awareness, and protection to countless other children. Your baby boy’s time in this world may have been heartbreakingly short, but his life mattered, his love mattered, and his story matters. May Allah hold your hearts gently through every wave of grief and reward every tear, every dua, and every moment of patience with unimaginable goodness. Fly high, little Salahaddin. May you be among the birds of Jannah, waiting for your Mumma and Baba in the most beautiful gardens of Paradise. Until that blessed reunion, may Allah keep you both steadfast and enveloped in His mercy. Ameen, Ya Rabb. 🤍🕊️
May Allah gives both parents sabr to go through this phase of life and soon fill your home with happiness again. Indeed the system failed here in many counts and I sincerely thank you to take this initiative of spreading awareness about the various issues you faced so that system can be changed where it's due and many other families who are looking for similar answers can be saved ...let this be a beacon of light for other families in need.
I applaud your strength and courage to take a stand for positive change despite having gone through something so horrific. To respectfully request a system to take account after it has done such harm, is a level of patience most of us can't even imagine. This culture of lack or regard for human life in Canadian healthcare HAS to change. The apathy, the laziness, the overlooking of serious concerns, the utter negligence in diagnosis and treatment and arrogance to stick to it, and putting the pressure of "advocating for yourself" on weak, suffering, patients and family members, all in the name of free healthcare... it has to end. How sad that Surrey Memorial Hospital comes out the flag bearer of such misconduct, day after day. My heartfelt prayers with the family. May your efforts help save many more from such suffering and loss.
I’m so incredibly sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how heartbreaking and difficult this must be. My heart truly breaks for you and your family. Sending you so much love and strength during this incredibly painful time. ❤️