Thompson Rivers University’s Respiratory Therapy (RT)program have received a state-of-the-art BabyLog neo-natal ventilator thanks to a TB Vet fundraising campaign.

Second-year RT students are already using the $40,000 ventilator in the classroom, preparing for their up-coming three-week practicums in the neo-natal intensive care unit at Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.

Picture a hectic delivery room. Hear the cry 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.

Now, with their own BabyLog ventilator 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 Faculty 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.

Contact:

• David Sheets, Program Coordinator (p)250. 828.5465
• Heather Noyes, (p)250. 828.5082