THUNDER BAY – When it comes to our children, the absolute best healthcare is a must,” says Glenn Craig, President & CEO, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation. “This Christmas season, your donation makes that possible.” The Health Sciences Foundation is encouraging the people of Northwestern Ontario to support the care that saves the lives of babies in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Last year, 1,563 babies took their very first breath at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Of them, 261 needed the specialized care provided in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“The NICU is highly dependent on technology and equipment to provide quality care for the tiny babies who need our help,” says Nancy Persichino, Director, Women and Children’s Program at the Health Sciences Centre. “Donations that support this unit are critical to the ongoing care we provide. Our medical equipment is expensive, yet its value for patients and families that require it is, without a doubt, priceless.”
This was certainly the case for the Warden family when their daughter Aleksandra was born. The specialized equipment that Aleksandra depended on in the NICU was funded by donations to the Health Sciences Foundation. 
“Past support from generous donors has made an incredible difference, and helped build the exceptional NICU that we have at the Health Sciences Centre,” explains Craig. “Thankfully, we have generous community members who continue to support our efforts, and dedicated paediatric professionals to deliver the care our children need. Thanks to such caring people, Aleksandra will spend many Christmases at home with her family.”
The Grand Christmas Tree now stands in the main lobby of the Health Sciences Centre as a reminder that Christmas is a time for community. With each donation (and every gift helps!), a star bearing the name of the generous donor is added to the tree.
As we come closer to Christmas day, the tree becomes increasingly covered in stars. Help fill the Grand Christmas Tree with stars. To make a donation in support of the most precious patients in our community, call 345-4673 or visit www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca.