Bringing critical neonatal care closer to home

Mar 26, 2025

Every day, new life begins at Ksyen Regional Hospital in Terrace, British Columbia. But for mothers like Mary, from the Kitsumkalum First Nation, with babies that are born premature, the start of their journey is far more challenging.
Picture this: A frantic drive to Ksyen Regional Hospital ends with devastating news — the facility cannot support pre-term births. Mary faces a 90-minute flight to Vancouver alone, separated from her partner and family during one of life's most critical moments.
"I didn't know I was in premature labour," shares Mary, mother to Araya. "Without warning, I was airlifted to Vancouver for an emergency C-section." 
While baby Araya spent three weeks in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Mary struggled to find accommodation, eventually securing a basement apartment near the hospital. Families like Mary’s face unexpected expenses such as temporary housing, transportation and food costs, further compounding an already stress-filled time in their lives. 
"As Indigenous people, we're deeply rooted in family and community," Mary explains. "Being torn away from home with a premature baby, thrust into an unfamiliar city - the stress is overwhelming."

Hope on the horizon

Change is coming. The Dr. R.E.M. Lee Hospital Foundation, supported by an extraordinary $50,000 TELUS Interior and Northern BC Community Board grant, is establishing Northwestern BC's first Tier 3 Neonatal Special Nursery at Ksyen Regional Hospital. This groundbreaking facility will:
  • Keep families together during critical times
  • Advance specialized care closer to home for newborns as little as 34 weeks gestation
  • Reduce the trauma and expense of long-distance medical transfers
  • Improve health outcomes for newborns and the wellbeing of their parents
With state-of-the-art technology and specially trained healthcare professionals, this Neonatal Special Nursery will transform care for premature and at-risk newborns across Northwestern BC, ensuring more families stay together when they need it most. Specifically, more than 75,000 people, including 28 First Nations will have access to the specialized care and critical services this facility will offer to newborns and their family members.
“This investment in specialized neonatal care equipment and services represents more than just medical advancement – it's about keeping families together during critical times," says Michael J. Ballingall, Chair of the TELUS Interior and Northern BC Community Board. "When every moment counts, having access to high-level care for these communities can make all the difference for newborns, their families and our communities."

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