Time Spent in the NICU Leads to Special Birthday Donation

March 21, 2018

6 year old Jones Kochan recently celebrated his birthday.  During his birthday party, in lieu of gifts, each attendee brought him $5 to put towards the charity of his choice. Jones collected donations in support of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Jones spent some time himself in the NICU, receiving treatment for a heart defect, Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return + Atrial Septal Defect.  After a week in the NICU and numerous echocardiograms, it was decided that Jones was to be transferred to Children’s Hospital in London.  Jones then underwent open heart surgery in 2012 at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto and returned to Thunder Bay shortly after. Fast forward to today, Jones is doing well and loves playing hockey with his big brother, Chase. When asked about his motivation for collecting donations during his birthday party, Jones said “I wanted to help all the little babies that have to stay in the NICU just like I did when I was a baby”.

Thanks to Jones and the many people that supported him, his gift will be used to purchase equipment to support the newborns that use the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

< back to articles