Each year, approximately 360 babies are born at South Shore Regional Hospital. For most families, these are joyful moments filled with love and celebration. But for some mothers, childbirth can take a frightening turn in a matter of seconds.
Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), or severe bleeding after birth, remains one of the leading causes of maternal mortality and complications worldwide, with approximately 1 in 16 Canadian women experiencing PPH.
Our Women and Children’s Health Unit is in need of a Rapid Infuser. This vital piece of equipment warms and quickly delivers large volumes of blood and fluids to stabilize mothers experiencing life-threatening blood loss. Used in cases of major hemorrhage, trauma, or shock, a Rapid Infuser helps prevent hypothermia and ensures fluids are delivered rapidly, giving mothers the best possible chance of survival.
A dedicated Rapid Infuser on the Women and Children’s Health Unit will allow our care teams to act immediately in emergencies, saving precious time and ultimately saving lives. It will give mothers the best chance to survive, recover and experience those magical first moments with their newborns that every family dreams of. Below, Jenna, a grateful patient, shares her story — a powerful reminder of why your support matters and how your gift can truly give the gift of a lifetime.
Jenna’s Story
I never imagined that the happiest day of my life could also be the scariest.
The day we found out we were expecting, we were over the moon with excitement. We couldn’t wait to share this wonderful news with our family and friends and celebrate the next chapter of our lives. We picked out the perfect paint colour for our baby boy’s room, built furniture for the nursery, and most importantly, chose a name for the tiny human that we were so excited to welcome to our family.
When my son was born at South Shore Regional Hospital (SSRH), I should have been holding him in my arms, counting his tiny fingers and toes, soaking in every tiny detail of his new life while marvelling at how we created such a perfect, beautiful being. Instead, I was fighting for my life due to severe postpartum hemorrhage. My body went into shock, my blood pressure plummeted, my heart raced out of control, and I was terrified.
I missed out on his first cuddles, his first bath and all of the magical once-in-a-lifetime moments. My son spent his first days without the one person he was most familiar with, not hearing my voice or sensing my closeness to comfort him in his new surroundings. Rather than enjoying our first moments as a family, I spent those days in the Intensive Care Unit, wondering if I would ever hold my baby. My husband had to face the challenges of parenthood alone, scared that he might have to raise our infant son without me.
The truth is, this could happen to anyone—your daughter, your sister, your best friend. Postpartum hemorrhage is one of the most common and serious maternal complications worldwide. It happens suddenly and without warning. But with a rapid infuser on the Women and Children’s Health Unit, doctors and nurses could respond within seconds, saving lives and ensuring mothers get to see their babies grow up.
Currently, South Shore Regional Hospital has only one rapid infuser located in the Operating Room. If a mother on the Women and Children’s Department needs it, the staff must run down two flights of stairs, hoping it isn’t already being used for surgery. In an emergency, every second counts. With approximately 360 babies born at SSRH each year, timely interventions are critical. That’s why I’m sharing my story.
Your gift today will mean a mother experiencing a life-threatening emergency receives the best possible care during the most critical time of her and her baby’s lives.
I will be forever grateful to the incredible nurses and doctors who never left my side. Their skill, compassion, and determination saved my life and gave my family hope in the darkest moments. They give everything they have to provide the best possible care for mothers and babies every single day. Your gift will ensure our care teams have the equipment they need to save lives and give moms like me the chance to see their babies grow up.
Your generosity helps ensure that mothers on the South Shore receive the urgent, life-saving care they need when every second counts. Because of you, our care teams will have the tools to act fast, save lives, and give more families the chance to experience those first precious moments together.
Thank you for helping make safer beginnings possible for moms and babies across our region and giving moms the gift of a lifetime full of snuggles, laughs and precious moments with their families.