Jillian Delorey

Jillian Delorey

Every year, more than 1,000 babies are born at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. Approximately one third of these babies – more than 300 – are born into low socioeconomic situations, including poverty. 

Beyond this, there are many other challenges that come with pregnancies.

Having to choose between paying for pregnancy sustaining medications not covered by insurance or paying for groceries; travelling back and forth to Halifax for genetic testing; not knowing if you can afford a taxi to get to your next appointment, to name a few.

Luckily, we have donors, like you.

My name is Jillian DeLorey, and I am a medical social worker at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. In my role, I support women and children’s health by providing emotional and counselling support, connecting families to resources and community services, and, with help from donors of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation, I provide financial support to those in need.

I want to thank the donors of the Foundation, whole heartedly, for your generosity. I am privileged to see the impact of this generosity every day.

I wish you could see the relief in a patient’s eyes or hear the quiver in their voices when I tell them that, because of donors in our community, they won’t have to choose between medications or food. They will be supported in their medical travels. They can get to their next appointment. They can focus on sustaining a healthy pregnancy, postpartum recovery, or in some instances, their grieving process, rather than worrying about their finances.

Each month, more than 20 patients and their families rely on the Family Newborn TLC Fund (formerly named Mom & Baby TLC Fund). With a growing population and an ever-rising cost of living, this number continues to increase. Will you consider supporting the Family Newborn TLC Fund, our Foundation, and the 20+ patients who rely on this fund each month?

The Family Newborn TLC Fund began in 2015, and since, has distributed more than $150,000 to Cape Bretoners who need it most. Like I mentioned, it has helped to cover pregnancy sustaining medications that come with an unexpected cost of more than $300 per month.

It has covered parking passes for parents whose babies are born prematurely or with medical needs and must stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for the first few months of their lives. It has helped alleviate the costs of travel such as gas and accommodations for parents and babies needing to journey to Halifax for specialist tests and treatments, sometimes weekly. It has helped those in need get to Toronto for high-risk births. And so much more.

Each month, the Foundation distributes more than $3,200 from the Family Newborn TLC Fund directly to new parents, babies, and postpartum patients in financial need. To sustain this support, we need donors, like you, to join together to help our friends, families, and neighbours in their time of need. If you are able, I hope you will join me in giving to this worthy cause.

I think it’s important to remember that just because we have a baby or a pregnancy, life does not stop. Not only have I learned this firsthand during the birth of my own daughter, Quinn, but I also see real-life examples in my role daily. I’ve seen folks experience job loss during pregnancy; be placed off work early for medical reasons; and families that arrive to delivery without having the necessities to take their babies home safely.  

By giving to the Foundation, and this fund, you are not only providing financial support. You are providing reassurance and security to fellow Cape Bretoners during some of their scariest and most uncertain days.

Warmest wishes,

Jillian DeLorey,
Medical Social Worker, Cape Breton Regional Hospital,
Wife to Michael, mom to Quinn
Fellow Cape Bretoner

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