Brooklyn’s Wish becomes a reality for RCH Neonatal Intensive Care Unit families

From left: Tanya, Isabella, Joel and Charlotte Wilson have recently established the Brooklyn’s Wish Fund to help support families at Royal Columbian Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in memory of their daughter and sister, Brooklyn.

Twins Brooklyn (480 grams) and Isabella (475 grams)Wilsonwere born 23 weeks premature at Royal Columbian Hospital on May 15, 2011. Sadly, on May 17, 2011, after a massive brain hemorrhage, little Brooklyn died. In her memory, parents Tanya and Joel Wilson have started a $5,000 trust fund in support of Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH) families whose lives are thrown into disarray when, due to unexpected circumstances, their newborns are admitted into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU.)

“The NICU nurses made Brooklyn’s passing a peaceful intimate moment for us, and for that we will always hold them dear,” says Tanya. Today, little Isabella is one year old and a joy to Tanya, Joel and big sister Charlotte. As a premature baby, lsabella had a long journey to reach optimal health. Finally, after 138 days in RCH’s NICU she was released to go home. “I really felt like the NICU nurses nurtured me throughout her (Isabella’s) long stay. They allowed me to share my life, my stories, and my feelings. They helped both Joel and me feel okay with all the emotions that we had. Over time it started to feel like our second home, we would look forward to going in to see our little girl, but also to see the NICU nurses.”

The Wilson family lives in Aldergrove, which meant that they had a daily 82km round trip commute to and from RCH and other out-of-pocket expenses while Isabella was in NICU. “By creating the Brooklyn Wish Fund we hope to ease some of these logistical costs for other RCH NICU families,” says Joel. “The fund will provide support for families to access items such as breast pumps, food vouchers, parking and Translink passes.”

“Joel and Tanya are an extraordinary young couple,” remarks Adrienne Bakker, CEO and President forRoyal Columbian Hospital Foundation. “Their generosity demonstrates a deep empathy for and commitment to other families who may find themselves in a similar situation. The Brooklyn Wish Fund is a treasure in our fundraising portfolio and we look forward to growing its assets with Tanya and Joel. It is a privilege to be entrusted with such a profound gift and the memory of Brooklyn.”

Joel and Tanya Wilson recently participated in OWN Channel TV Reality Show called Million Dollar Neighbourhood. To follow their story, watch OWN Canada on Sunday’s at 9.00am and 8.00pm. Visit www.ownca.oprah.com/Schedule for updates. For further information about Brooklyn’s Wish Fund and how you can donate, contact 604 520 4438 or visit www.rchcares.com.

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Centre of excellence
Royal Columbian Hospital is a Fraser Health provincial centre and regional referral hospital providing specialized care for trauma, cardiac services, neurosciences, high risk maternity and neonatal intensive care for 1.6 million seriously ill and injured people from across the province. RCH is also a UBC teaching hospital with a Clinical Academic Campus.

Raising Funds
Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation(RCHF) is a provincial and regional independent charitable foundation that raises millions of dollars annually to help fund priority equipment needs, facility enhancements, research, education and innovation at RCH. For more information about Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, visit www.rchfoundation.com or contact us on 604 520 4438.

For further information please contact:

Julie Coghlan
(604) 523 8860
julie.coghlan@fraserhealth.ca