Champions start small

The Sandra Schmirler Foundation is the only charity in Canada dedicated solely to raising funds for premature and seriously ill babies. There is no one more qualified to speak to the importance of donating to the Sandra Schmirler Foundation than the moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas who've lived through the fear and anguish of having their newborn babies placed in intensive care. Here are their stories.

I was delighted to learn of the most generous donation from the Sandra Schmirler Foundation of $31,050 to provide a fetal monitor for Maternity. Fetal monitors are a vital component of our maternity care here at Royal Columbian Hospital. We are a tertiary site for maternity which means we look after the most acute maternity patients who can not be cared for in community hospitals. As such, we have patients who are transferred to Royal Columbian Hospital from all over the province of BC. Fetal monitors are used to assess the well being of the unborn babies of these high risk mothers. As technology advances, fetal monitors need to be upgraded to provide the highest level of safe care to our patients. At Royal Columbian Hospital, we deliver around 3,000 babies per year. With this volume of patients, fetal monitors have to be replaced after a time to keep up with the constant use.

In short, we are very grateful for the funding that allowed us to receive another fetal monitor. Your kind and generous donation assists in meeting our goal of providing safe, high quality care to our patients. Thank you so very much.

Susan Lockhart, BScN, MBA, PhD
Program Manager
Royal Columbian Hospital Perinatal Services
Surrey Memorial Hospital Perinatal Outpatient Services
New Westminster, BC

“On behalf of Jeremy, Xander and myself I would like to thank each of you for including us as the NICU family representation in yesterday's telethon event.

It made my heart happy to see so many of Xander's care team, selflessly giving their Sunday to help at a fundraising event for neonatal care. Yesterday was just another step in our NICU journey, and I am so thankful that we can begin to "pay it forward". We will never forget the kindness, love and hope that was given to our family during such a scary time. It is my privilege to work with such skilled people, whom I also call my friends. You make me feel humble and proud!

And also, to the staff of the Sandra Schimirler Foundation, you should be very proud of the event yesterday. I felt overwhelming joy that a Canadian hero, such as Sandra Schmirler, could inspire such a fantastic legacy telethon event. I took the time to read about her life and her friendships. I believe she would have had many reasons to be very proud of all of you and what you have accomplished so far. May there be many more successes in your future!

One of the most beautiful feelings in the world is arriving in a place where you feel like you belong, and we are so lucky to be a part the culture of the NICU in London.

Continue to inspire.

Love wins.”

The McFadden Family

“A year ago, I was a patient at McMaster Hospital. Specialists there had determined that my preeclampsia had progressed and that my unborn baby was at significant risk. Tests were performed every eight hours to determine my baby's health and, on Friday November 13, 2009 the decision was made that he would be delivered by caesarean section. Nicholas Fraser Ryan Clark was born at 28 weeks weighing only two pounds one ounce. His health was extremely fragile. Although the doctors had been able to help Nicholas achieve 28 weeks of development and vastly improved his chances of survival, he still required CPAP, a central umbilical line and later a PICC line, phototherapy, NG tube feedings by pump and two blood transfusions.ÊHis progress was slow but steady and constant support from nurses, neonatologists and staff helped him survive. After a very long 98 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Nicholas was finally able to come home. Today, as we prepare to celebrate Nicholas' first birthday, we marvel at his progress. He weighs almost 20 pounds; he has 8 teeth and is very good natured. Nicholas does not suffer from any lasting effects and is, by all accounts, a healthy, happy baby.

When I recently learned about the Sandra Schmirler Foundation, I was very touched. Sandra's personal story, her own trials, her dedication to her family and her family's dedication to her memory, is beautiful and has inspired me to write to you.

As the parent of a premature baby, I would like to personally thank the Foundation. The work that you do is appreciated more that you will ever know. On your website, I read that the Sandra Schmirler Foundation donated a Giraffe Incubator to McMaster's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Your donated incubator could have been the very one that helped to save my son Nicholas' life. So many babies have survived as a result of your support and the talents and gifts that these children will bring to the world, are a living legacy to Sandra and the work of the Foundation.

I would like to offer personal support to your organization. Nicholas and I feel compelled to share our story for the benefit of others. We are members of Canadian Blood Services' Speakers' Bureau and we speak to groups to highlight the need for blood donation and tell our story to inspire new donors. If there was any opportunity for us to speak on behalf of the Sandra Schmirler Foundation to share our story and highlight the need to support premature babies, we would be honoured to be able to do that and help further your work in Sandra's name.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you believe that Nicholas and I could help the Sandra Schmirler Foundation help others.”

Thank you.

Shannon Clark
Dundas, ON

“In the summer of 2006 I was pregnant for the first time and we were thrilled. My (now) husband Brent Gushulak and I had already gone through two (2) IVF cycles with no success, and we were told that the third time would have to be the last. One out of only two little embryos took, and becoming pregnant was our first miracle. We were ecstatic.

Unfortunately, our happiness was short lived. On October 7th, at exactly 23 weeks gestation, I started having very painful contractions. We rushed to BC Women's and Children's Hospital and after an ultrasound we knew we were in trouble. Not so much from the Doctor's words, but from the expressions on their faces. They will not resuscitate a baby who is younger than 23 weeks, and the day I was admitted was 23 weeks to the day. We were very frightened.

My contractions started to get worse, and were very painful. IF the baby survived, there was a 50% chance that there would be something fundamentally wrong with one or all of the major organs. They performed an emergency Caesarean section, and our baby girl was born at 23 weeks and 4 days gestation. She weighed 1 lb., 1 ounce and was given 20% odds of survival. When her dad first saw her she was in a plastic bag to keep warm and she grabbed his finger as if she never wanted to let go. We named her "Emma Diane" and held our breath. The word "BELIEVE" .. in that "..we have to BELIEVE she will make it ...." became our motto.

We were in the BC Women's and Children's Hospital for 120 days. She was so fragile that we weren't allowed to hold her for 2 weeks. Her skin was so thin it was translucent. Emma had surgery at 27 weeks to close her PDA duct (small valve above the heart that a new-born closes to start breathing). The operation was successful, but they had to paralyze her for 2 days so she could heal. I cannot describe the horror and helplessness of watching your tiny baby in a coma for 2 days unsure if she will ever wake up again. Emma was in an incubator and intubated for 6 weeks (breathing apparatus down her throat), then on a device called CPAP, and eventually free-flowing oxygen. She didn't breath on her own until a week before Christmas. She opened her eyes for the first time on her Dad's birthday, 13 days after she was born, it was the best present he has ever received. She had 11 blood transfusions and daily blood tests. She has a number of scars from all the intra-venous and PICC lines they had to run. Emma was wired up to a machine or monitor until the day we took her home.

We brought her home 4 months later on Valentine's Day 2007, 1 week after her due date. Our 2nd miracle.

I am a competitive curler who competed against Sandra, so when the Sandra Schmirler Foundation switched its focus to neonatal care I was thrilled. It was the perfect avenue for Emma and myself to get involved. Emma and I do a fund-raiser of some sort every year and will continue to through-out our life-time. If you consider that one day in the NICU costs between $2800-$4200 A DAY to keep these babies alive... then we figure Emma cost upwards of a half a million dollars to the Hospital. It might take us the rest of our lives to pay it back, but we will try! Please join us in helping other babies and families get the same expertise and treatment that we received.

The Sandra Schmirler Foundation raises money to support Neonatal Care across Canada to save babies that have the same will to fight in them that Sandra had in her fight against Cancer. BC Women's and Children's is one of hospitals they support. Sandra was a great lady, competitor, mother, wife, and friend. It is with great pride and respect that we are part of this organization. Emma was a fighter, but she didn't do it alone. She needed all the help a neonatal facility could provide.

Emma is now a very energetic 4 year old who is in school, gymnastics, dancing, swimming, soccer, skating and wants to try curling. She beat all the statistical odds against her, but not without the help of the incredible staff at BC Women's and Children's, and organizations such as the Sandra Schmirler Foundation. She is a perfectly healthy and incredibly happy. My guess is she innately knows that she beat the odds against her! Her Doctor's call her a "Miracle" and that is not a word they throw around lightly; .."..she is one-of-one.." they say. We will forever be indebted to organizations such as the Sandra Schmirler Foundation for helping us bring our little girl home. Please help.”

Diane, Brent and Emma Gushulak”

“My son was a 27 week preemie born in Aug/2008 weighing only 2 lbs. 4oz at birth. Due to lack of neonatal beds in Ontario he was transferred to Buffalo Children's Hospital and he spent a total of 9 weeks in hospital before coming home. He is now a 12 lb. bundle of joy with no health issues.

Because of this, neonatal care is near and dear to our hearts, and my wife and I are always looking for ways to give back for all the wonderful care our son received.

If you are looking for any volunteer help, we would like to help where we can and we plan to donate to help your foundation as well.”

Steve Bell
Toronto, Ontario

“On Feb 1st our twins arrived in Nanaimo BC over 5 weeks early. My son, the father of the boys had a tragic accident and died before they were born. One of the babies had severe breathing problems and was transferred by air to Victoria General. There he received the utmost in care. Although I never thought I would need to know about ventilators and monitors and incubators for the smallest of patients, I now know more than I had ever anticipated. One twin is still in the hospital but is past the scary / critical time. We actually live a 6 hour drive from Victoria and have been living away from home and out of suitcases since the 1st. It doesn't matter because healthy boys will be reward. I am amazed at the complexity of 'stuff' needed for such small babies and I see that your foundation has helped to provide some of it. Now I truly understand what your foundation does. I made a donation today but we would dearly love two of the pins "Champions Start Small" for the boys.

Our little boys will turn one this week! It's hard to believe that a year ago we were huddled around incubators learning all the new language that goes with preemie care. Brydon, who is now a perfectly healthy little boy, quite simply would not be with us to celebrate his birthday without all the specialized equipment that the Victoria NICU had to offer. My donation could never match the gift of these healthy charming and happy baby boys that Victoria and later Nanaimo helped on their rocky start in life. Thanks for you work and your foundation.”

Lynn Dorward
Port McNeill, BC

“Our little grandson was born last May and had to have 2 open heart surgeries before Christmas. He spent the first 6 weeks of his life in the NICU at the Stollery and we were so impressed and happy with all the staff there. There was no way I could pass up this opportunity to help a little.

Thanks again.”

Carolynne Babin
Edmonton, AB

Our two little boys were born at BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver. Colt was born 10 weeks premature and Garrett was born 13 weeks premature. They are both healthy and growing up fast.

We would like to give special thanks to the doctors and staff at the hospital for taking good care of us and to the Sandra Schmirler Foundation for helping with such a worthy cause.

Jill and Dean Knoblauch
Nanaimo, BC