Vision 2007... The Prince George Citizen, Wednesday, March 21
"PGRH close to completing last major component of the Maternal Child Centre of Excellence"
Can You Help Her?
Looking through the door, your eyes are drawn to a single bright light attached to a clear plexiglass box with large circles cut in its sides. Attached to the holes are plastic cuffs that allow the nursing staff to reach in and touch Smitty. She is so tiny – she looks to be about the size of a large loaf of bread – she is wearing the tiniest diaper you have ever seen and she is almost glowing as her body absorbs the beneficial rays from the bilirubin light. Near by her older brother lies in exactly the same position and the staff are working silently around these twins.
This is the scene in our NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) on a Saturday night. Two tiny babies, Ashley and Liam, are in the care of our NICU nurses who work quietly and efficiently to give them the best possible care. These babies were born at 31 weeks and they are improving and every day they are gaining strength.
Surrounding them, in a space about twice the size of a large living room are eight other plexiglass cots with other babies who are here to grow and get better before they can go home with their families.
Our current NICU is tiny and crowded. It offers no privacy for the families, the mothers or the physicians and staff to work with the children.
Step back from the door – close your eyes and envision the same two tiny babies in their cots – side by side in a single room – can you see the bed where their mother can sleep, can you see the chair where she and the babies father are hoping to be sitting and cuddling their babies in the next couple of weeks. It is a beautiful restful and quiet room. It is our new NICU.
PGRH is close to completing the last major component of the Maternal Child Centre of Excellence. The new NICU will be 5 times larger than our current space and the babies and their families will have the opportunity to stay together in a single room. The nursing staff will be able to provide care in a much less stressful and quieter atmosphere and as these neonates react to sudden noise, light and changes in conditions this will mean better care.
The Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation is close to completing our pledge of $ 2,000,000 for the Maternal Child Centre of Excellence and with the support of the community we will achieve our goal by the time the new unit is open in June 2007.
The first portion of the project, the newly renovated Paediatric Ward (opened in December 2006) has had the impact we all hoped for! Our younger patients and their families are extremely happy with the spacious, comfortable single rooms we can now provide. With our new space there is privacy, the parents have the ability to stay with their sick child and this reduces the stress for the child, the family and the staff. The reduced stress and the extra family support leads to better health outcomes and shorter stays.
In our NICU we expect to achieve even better results as studies have shown that when our tiniest patients receive the support and nurturing from parents not only do they improve physically – their neurological development is also enhanced. This is a true win –win as the baby is better, the family is better and the improvements last a lifetime.
If you have been looking for a reason to donate – look at the tiny babies and think about their family and their future. Your support can and will make a difference not only for Ashley and Liam but also for the other 300+ tiny babies we will treat and support over the next year.
If you have supported us we say THANK YOU on behalf of our babies, their families, our staff and your community.
For further information or to donate contact the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation at 565-2515, visit us at 1475 Edmonton Street in the Atrium of PGRH .
