Tracy was 29 weeks into her pregnancy when she encountered her first complication. “The doctor discovered a lack of blood flow from the placenta to the baby,” explains Tracy, who was visiting McMaster Children’s Hospital. “The baby was not receiving sufficient nutrients, which was a dangerous situation.”
Tracy underwent an emergency C-section, and her son Cash was born 11 weeks early, weighing 1,290 grams (just under three pounds). “Cash’s lungs were extremely weak,” recalls Tracy. “He relied heavily on CPAPs to help him breathe until his lungs strengthened.”
The team in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) helped Cash through numerous health complications. He had a low hemoglobin count, which can lead to breathing and heart issues, so he underwent three blood transfusions and a platelet transfusion. Cash also required surgery to repair a hernia.
The family’s journey continued once Cash was able to go home. He experienced some developmental delays, especially with his gross motor skills, and the family visited McMaster Children’s Hospital regularly for testing until he was four.
Cash continued to grow and gain strength over the next few years. He soon began to catch up with his physical development and started to meet his milestones.
Today he’s active and loves to play the drums and practise karate.
Thanks to your support through the McMaster Children’s Hospital Foundation, kids like Cash can flourish thanks to state-of-the-art diagnostics, treatments, and highly skilled, caring staff.
