“No one wants their baby to end up there. But if they do, you’re sure glad Regina has a world-class facility like that.”
Laurie Dimond and Kurtis Anderson didn’t know much about our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the Rawlco Centre for Mother Baby Care, at Regina’s General Hospital (RGH) before May 26, 2021. That’s the day their son Kasper was delivered via c-section at RGH. The tiny infant, born at 27 weeks and weighing only 1lb 10oz, was quickly whisked away to begin life under the watchful eyes of the NICU medical team.
“The pregnancy was going smoothly until part-way through the second trimester,” Laurie reveals. “That’s when my blood pressure shot up and I developed a severe case of preeclampsia. At that point, the decision was made to admit me to the hospital. Kasper arrived eight days later.”
With preeclampsia, the mother might have high blood pressure, high levels of protein in the urine that indicate kidney damage, or other signs of organ damage. Left untreated, preeclampsia can lead to serious - even fatal - complications for both mother and baby.
“We’re a strong couple,” says Kurtis. “That strength helped us to stay positive. But of course, we were worried. I mean Kasper was so small, but we also realized very quickly that we were in the best hands possible, in Regina’s NICU.”
And so began Kasper’s 70-day stay at the NICU. Having been born so prematurely, Kasper’s lungs were not yet fully developed and he needed help breathing. To help him breath, Kasper was intubated, and later put on a CPAP machine which provided continuous oxygen pressure through his nose. A small brain bleed was diagnosed but, fortunately, only required monitoring before it healed on its own. The remainder of Kasper’s stay in our NICU was focused on helping him grow strong enough to go home with his parents.
“We’re so lucky to have a world-class facility like the NICU right here in Regina,” Kurtis observes. “It’s a relief not to have to travel to another city or province to ensure our babies get the help they need.”
Despite a rocky start to his journey, today Kasper is a healthy, happy toddler who is approaching his second birthday.
“We’re just so grateful to everyone connected with the NICU,” Laurie states. “That includes the donors who support Hospitals of Regina Foundation. Their support provides our medical teams with the technology they need to save babies like my Kasper. Thank you!”
“It is so rewarding to play a role in success stories like Kasper’s,” says Lisa Green, senior vice president of Hospitals of Regina Foundation. “Stories like his remind us why it’s so important to keep investing in the equipment our NICU needs , to help children across southern Saskatchewan go on to lead healthy, happy lives.”