Donors provide critical equipment for kids like Max

“It’s game changing. Thank you to all the donors who made this possible.”

Kate Whitton, Director of Health Services, Child Health at HSC Children’s Hospital knows firsthand the impact of having the right tools to care for kids. Thanks to generous donor support, a $6.5 million project to outfit all inpatient beds at HSC Children’s Hospital with remote monitoring capabilities and support infrastructure (Wi-Fi, smart badge technology and minor room improvements), is scheduled to be complete in fall 2025.

This initiative was part of the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba’s #GiveBetterFutures campaign, which raised over $87 million and allocated $25 million to cardiac care (going towards the new Travis Price Children’s Heart Centre, the Paul Albrechtsen catheterization lab, a new state-of-the-art fluoroscopy lab, remote monitoring tools and more).

“This project puts the infrastructure in place – we’re no longer limited,” says Kate.

“We can monitor any bed and have a central system to see what’s going on with any patient from any other monitor.”

The project also includes smart badges for health care teams to wear and communicate quickly with one another, saving critical time. Plus, staff get immediate alerts when patients have a significant change.

“Before, staff would have had to be sitting right in front of the patient looking at that monitor and be within earshot to know about a change, so this technology helps us use our resources better,” says Kate.

Remote monitoring is useful for countless conditions including respiratory illness, recovery from surgery, complex anomalies and so much more.

“When kids are little, they can’t tell you how they’re feeling the way an adult can, so you rely on all the symptoms that you’re seeing,” says Kate.

The remote monitored bed project, thanks to donors, has been so successful in helping our teams #ContinueCaringForKids that the Foundation is fundraising for another 18 monitors to cover even more of the hospital including the emergency department and the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units.

Remote monitored equipment also helps provide peace of mind for parents and caregivers like Max’s mom, Liz.

“Instantly my stress would drop knowing he was being moved to a remote monitored bed. I knew he would have dedicated nursing and they would get an alarm if his oxygen levels were dropping,” says Liz.

When Max was born, he had eight holes in his heart as well as narrow airways. He went through a lot as a baby – pneumonia, bronchiolitis, blood clots, a paralyzed vocal cord, open heart surgery, cardiac arrest and a massive gastrointestinal bleed, among other challenges. In his first four years, he had more than 20 surgeries and spent a significant amount of time in hospital connected to remote monitored equipment.

“The beeping of his heart rate and lights of other monitors was reassuring to hear and see,” says Liz.

As he grows Max will continue to need support at HSC Children’s, including some procedures where he will likely be in a remote monitored bed for recovery. Max has some developmental delays, but he is a happy child who loves to play Volt hockey (an adaptation of the sport for those with physical disabilities) and watch wrestling with his dad, Kent.

In 2024 Max celebrated his 14^th birthday by going through a car wash in a limo with his family. They’re grateful for these special shared moments that bring Max so much joy.

Max’s family is excited to see the remote monitored bed project complete, and they’re thankful for donors who helped make it a reality. “Supporting the hospital ensures that the services will be there when your own grandchild, neighbour or friend needs help.”