Picture a hectic delivery room. Hear the wail of a healthy baby, breathing for the first time and yelling about it. Joy fills the room. A perfect baby, full of promise, has come into the world.

But what if that baby can’t make that first wail? What if the delivery is early, much too early, and the tiny baby’s lungs “the last organ to mature” haven’t yet developed? This baby needs immediate intensive care. She will be placed on a ventilator, and given special medicine to help her lungs function.

It’s a scenario that TRU Respiratory Therapy (RT) students could likely face during their three-week practicum in the neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) at Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, when they have to learn to care for the most sick and fragile of babies.

Thanks to TB Vets and their special fundraising campaign, the province’s primary Respiratory Therapy program will now have its own BabyLog ventilator for students to practice on in the classroom.

Now every minute they spend learning about the machine in their classroom training is a minute they spend learning more about caring for premature infants.

“When ever we apply to TB Vets for help they come through for us,” said Heather Noyes, Respiratory Therapy Course Facilitator at TRU. “They have helped us lease the equipment we need or, like today, have helped us buy the equipment.

“TRU has the only respiratory therapy program in the BC, these students have the same goals that we have “to help people breathe,” said Ron Goyette, Executive Director TB Vets.

For the first time in its 60-plus year history the Burnaby based organization requested help directly from its own supporters with a newsletter campaign and a direct mail request. “Donations flooded in to buy the BabyLog for TRU,” Goyette said, noting the $39,500 was raised in just a few months.

Since 1988 the TB Vets have contributed $181,500 in equipment and awards for students and the RT program, including this most recent donation. Each year the organization comes through with bursaries for students. During November’s Donor Award ceremony they handed out awards of $1,500 each to eight RT students. Recipients must have an academic standing of a 2.5 GPA minimum and preference was given to students who demonstrated financial need.

For more information about the Respiratory Therapy Program at TRU please contact David Sheets, Program Coordinator, 250-828-5465.