TODAY You Can Make Twice the Difference for Newborns

Published Friday, December 5, 2025

TODAY You Can Make Twice the Difference for Newborns

Brooke H., RN, NICU, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, encourages the community to join the excitement of Giving Tuesday today and double their impact.

Today is Giving Tuesday and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation is inviting the community to help make a meaningful difference for the Hospital's littlest and most vulnerable patients. The Foundation aims to raise $30,567 in just 24 hours to purchase a new isolette for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

An isolette is a special bed that keeps newborns warm and closely monitored in the NICU. With older models reaching the end of their lifespan, the new isolette models provide advanced features such as supporting skin-to-skin bonding with parents, creating precious moments of connection.

Giving Tuesday, held each year on the first Tuesday after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, encourages people around the world to shift their attention from shopping to generosity, a day dedicated to supporting meaningful causes. For the Health Sciences Foundation, the day helps kick off the season of giving and has become an important and cherished tradition.

“This is our 10th Giving Tuesday, and I couldn't be more grateful for what our donors have made possible,” said Lindsay Doran-Bonk, Manager, Digital Engagement at the Foundation. “Over the past nine years, in 216 hours of Giving Tuesday campaigns, donors have given $441,466 to fund 27 life-saving pieces of equipment for the Hospital. It's incredible to see how people come together every year to really make an impact.”

Some of the equipment funded through Giving Tuesday over the years includes pacemaker generators and a defibrillator for the Operating Room, open heart instrument trays for Cardiac Surgery, vital signs monitors, Bili Blankets to treat newborn jaundice, Panda Infant Warmers, a Fetal Telemetry Monitor for Labour & Delivery, and equipment for a second paediatric transfer deck.

Donations Matched

Adding to the excitement this year, an anonymous local family has come forward with a $15,000 matching gift, doubling the impact of donations made on Giving Tuesday. Their generosity means every dollar given becomes two, an incredible opportunity to make twice the difference for the Hospital's tiniest patients.

In sharing why they chose to support this year's campaign, the family said: “Over the years, our family has been blessed by the facilities and treatments that were made possible through the dedication of skilled healthcare providers and donors. This gave us hope, and we are eager to pass it along. We were drawn to contributing to an isolette because we see it providing tangible warmth, security, and protection to babies in their first days, while also fostering moments of hope and creating opportunities for connection and bonding for parents and families.”

“It's important that we have up to date equipment in the NICU,” shared Brooke H., RN in the Hospital's NICU, “because despite not being a specialized centre, we're the only centre in Northwestern Ontario with a NICU.”

As an added holiday bonus, donors will also automatically be entered to WIN two festive pairs of Hillberg & Berk Christmas earrings, generously donated by Vince and Alex Mirabelli of Re/Max.

How to Donate Today:

You can follow the Foundation's social media for Giving Tuesday updates throughout the day:

As the community comes together once again, the Foundation extends a heartfelt thanks to everyone who chooses to give back. Each donation helps give the Hospital's tiniest patients the specialized care, comfort and support they need.

 

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