Kause and Effect

Kylie Marie McGrail never made it out of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Born January 17, 2004, she died two days later at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, Ont., of complications from her premature birth. But thanks in part to the efforts of her parents, newborns in need now have some of the most advanced incubators available.

Since 2004, Steve and Lisa McGrail have held an annual fundraiser, Kylie’s Kause, in their hometown of Wyo­ming, Ont. (about an hour from London). With a charity walk, barbecue and silent auction, Kylie’s Kause has raised $128,000 for St. Joseph’s NICU.

The money has gone towards the purchase of Giraffe OmniBeds, which staff at St. Joseph’s call an invaluable addition to the NICU. These $55,000 state-of-the-art incubators offer a warm and safe environment. Plus, because the sides lift up and the mattress rotates, staff can provide care, as needed, without moving the infant. For critically ill and premature infants, “every move is stressful,” says NICU Medical Director Dr. Henry Roukema. So far, the hospital has seven OmniBeds; there are hopes to acquire three more.

Sara Cameron, manager of annual giving programs at St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation, says the hospital relies on efforts like that of the McGrails to raise funds and awareness. “We just don’t have the resources to do the work they do on our behalf,” she says. “We’re glad they feel compelled to give in such a meaningful way.”

Steve McGrail, who teaches Grades 7 and 8, and Lisa, a physical therapist, held the first Kylie’s Kause just six months after their daughter died. They hoped to raise $5,000.

Instead, they got $20,000. “Wyoming has about 2,200 people, and we had over 500 walkers from town and the nearby communities,” says Steve. “That’s the power of a small town. Everybody knows everybody.

“Lots of people were looking forward to meeting Kylie…. This was their way of doing something.”

Kylie’s Kause continues to grow, with corporate sponsors, businesses donating hundreds of items for the silent auction, and local volunteers handling barbecue duties. Plus, because organizers are given free use of the Wyo­ming fairgrounds’ facil­ities, staging costs are minimal. “It’s a real community event,” says Lisa, “and a way for us to remember Kylie.”

Also helping to honour Kylie’s memory is Heather Vasey of Petrolia, Ont., who has participated in the event for the last two years and will do so again this year. In April 2007 Heather delivered a son, Adam, at 24 weeks of pregnancy. He weighed just 15 ounces, and doctors at St. Joseph’s gave him only a 20-percent chance of survival. Adam spent the first month of his life in a Giraffe OmniBed, followed by three months in the NICU. So what runs through Heather’s mind when she does the charity walk? “I think of how blessed we are that Adam had this chance and lived.”

As the McGrails prepare for another year of Kylie’s Kause—now with son Jace, born in April 2005—they remain inspired by stories like Adam’s. Says Lisa, “We want to give babies the best chance possible—with the best equipment possible.”

For more information, visit www.kylieskause.com.