9-year-old twins declared co-mayors of West Edmonton Mall for the day

Twin sisters facing medical challenges spent the day being the mayors of West Edmonton Mall. CTV News Edmonton's Marek Tkach has their story.

Twin nine-year-old sisters won a unique election as the mayors of West Edmonton Mall (WEM).

Addley and Addison Yerichuck spent Tuesday running around WEM on a $1,500 shopping spree. They were treated to Build-A-Bear, Marine Life and other popular mall attractions, getting to end the day with a sleepover at Fantasyland Hotel.

Their co-mayoralty is largely due to their medical histories with the Stollery Children’s Hospital.

“Our journey with the Stollery has been a long one,” said the twins’ mother, Brittany, on Tuesday. “When Addison was first born, she was a baby that we didn’t really have any answers to. She would turn blue, stop breathing at some points.”

Addison has chronic lung disease and, at 14 months old, had heart surgery for an atrial septal defect. Her sister Addley also lives with a heart murmur, lung disease and has had a few surgeries relating to her ears and upper throat.

Between six admissions at the Stollery through the years, Brittany said the girls were able to stick together.

Their frequent visits to the Stollery means the family, in turn, has poured their energy into giving back to the hospital that saved their daughters’ lives.

Karen Faulkner with the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation said the family have long been ambassadors and great fundraisers for the hospital’s No Bounds program, which aims to raise $1 billion for a new standalone Stollery location.

WEM’s Mayor of the Mall program aims to run a few times each year in partnership with a local charity to give a child a one-of-a-kind experience “thoughtfully customized to reflect the child’s interests.”

“(We pick) a young person that has overcome amazing, difficult obstacles … we wanted to recognize young peoples’ courage and their strength and honesty,” said Daniel Person, the vice president of partnerships with WEM.

Brittany says she’s just grateful her daughters are getting a day to be kids.

“It makes my heart so happy to see their happiness,” she said. “We’ve struggled a lot over the years, just with mental health and our trauma, and it’s been a big thing to be a part of the mall that’s been a part of my life since I was young. It’s been absolutely amazing.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Marek Tkach