The Sweetest Breath
The first breath of a newborn infant is music to the ears of every new parent. In the best case scenario, breaths come quickly after birth; they’re hearty and end in a telltale cry that signals the beginning of a robust new life.
But when a newborn doesn’t have the capacity to breathe, the maternity and respiratory specialists at Langley Memorial Hospital are called to action.
Within seconds, they must rely on the technological power of a neonatal ventilator to provide life-giving oxygen. But with just a single ventilator stationed permanently in the maternity unit, a secondary ventilator is needed to assist newborns in respiratory failure.
This need inspired the hospital to raise funds for a second ventilator and other equipment for the maternity unit, in partnership with TB Vets, an organization dedicated to fundraising to support the health and wellness of respiratory patients.
In 2018, TB Vets helped the Foundation purchase its first ventilator for the respiratory health of newborns. This year, they’re joining the Foundation in an appeal to the public, matching donations for the second ventilator and urgently-needed maternity equipment, dollar for dollar.
“We were so grateful when we got our first ventilator, and it made such a huge impact and difference [in the maternity unit],” says Donna Adhemar, Interim Manager of LMH’s clinical Maternal, Infant, Child and Youth Program.
“We encountered a situation where we had two babies who needed it at the same time. And we’ve got to choose which one is going to use it and which one’s going to use the old one [designed for older children]. And so it was natural for us to wonder, ‘wouldn’t it be amazing if we could offer the best care to both these children?’”
Newborns might need ventilation when they’re premature and their lungs aren’t fully formed, or they may have ingested some amniotic fluid during the time of delivery. Problems such as hypertension due to underdevelopment or abnormal development, a neuromuscular disorder or lack of oxygen to the brain may develop before or just after birth.
Immediately after birth, newborns in respiratory distress show low oxygen levels; they grunt and gasp for breath.
“It’s almost immediate when you see that the newborn needs some support,” says Aman Badesha, the clinical practice leader for Respiratory Therapy at Langley Memorial Hospital.
These ventilators function in the same way as those designed for children and adults, though the neonate ventilators are designed to apply small amounts of pressure, appropriate for the patient’s size, he says.
TB Vets as Partners in Care
More than 1,400 babies are born at Langley Memorial Hospital every year; with the rate of population growth and older maternal age, specialists forecast more multiple births in the future.
Over the last decade Langley patients have had greater access to the treatment and care they need, thanks to donations from TB Vets’ fundraising and partnerships.
Through individual gifts and by matching public donations from TB Vets, the Foundation has been able to secure 11 crash carts, a number of bronchoscopes, an MRI ventilator, two regular ventilators and an oxygen concentrator.
“TB Vets have always been really helpful to patients with respiratory illness,” says Aman. “It’s because of TB Vets that we are offering the exact same care as bigger sites are, and we’re getting equipment of the best quality.”
TB Vets President and CEO Kandys Merola says she’s confident the public will respond to the urgent need for a second ventilator with more awareness that every gift will be matched.
“I firmly believe that when faced with the urgent need for a second ventilator, our community will step up, knowing that each contribution they make will be met with a matching gift,” she says.