Baby Wade Needs Our Help - The Cook Family

Gichi miigwetch!! Thank you so much to our cherished family, friends, and colleagues who donated to help Ashley and John. The target was met and exceeded, and we thank you so very much for your generous love and kindness!!!!

We have posted an update for Baby Wade, and have sent a thank you message. Thank you again so much!!

Beautiful baby Wade Waasezi Cook is one week old, and he needs our help.

10 days ago baby Wade made his entrance into the world and the lovely Cook family: Mom Ashley, Dad John, and 5-year-old brother Antoine. After a bright and healthy first 30 hours of life, newborn Wade and his exhausted but thrilled family were discharged home.

But, on the third day of Wade’s new life, he began exhibiting medical symptoms concerning enough to bring public health nurse for an urgent visit. Each day baby Wade was becoming sleepier, and more yellow (jaundiced in appearance), and he was losing weight faster than was either normal or healthy. Most alarming of all, baby Wade could not maintain his body’s core temperature and would remain cold even when wrapped in many layers – which can signify serious illness like meningitis or sepsis. The nurse advised baby Wade be immediately taken to Children’s Emergency.

MATTERS GET WORSE

Unfortunately, the situation became worse. Ashley (mom), recovering from a C-Section began to suffer from abnormal and debilitating pains. Ashley and baby Wade arrived at the emergency department expecting a routine diagnosis of jaundice, and a short trip. They were not expecting that both mother and child would be admitted to the hospital on suspicion of Meningitis - a deadly infection. Things became very serious very fast.

John and Ashley had prepared everything for Wade’s arrival well in advance, but the medical complications could not have been anticipated. Dad’s work schedule and Antoine’s care had been planned for ages, but suddenly everything had to change. Granny arrived at the house by taxi in the middle of the night to watch Antoine so John could assist Ashley and baby Wade at the hospital. John had to miss work to be with his family and help handle the emergency.

Ashley was admitted to the Women’s Hospital on suspicion of complications from the spinal tap administered during her C-Section. She would spend the next 25 hours away from her newborn to confirm that she herself was not in any serious medical danger.

After two failed spinal taps on baby Wade, the diagnosis is still uncertain but baby Wade has undergone a multitude of tests to rule out other causes and has been started on antibiotics. Presently, baby Wade is awaiting further test results and though he may be heading home right away, he also could face an extended in-patient stay, or the necessity to return to hospital in the coming days and weeks.

The unexpected medical emergencies of mother and baby have changed the Cook family's status from “well prepared” to facing very real financial hardship. John has now missed a substantial number of work days due to these unforeseen circumstances. With Ashley at the Children’s Hospital tending to baby Wade, John will be unable to work in the evenings or weekends while caring for their son Antoine son, losing the majority of his income in addition to the substantial days of work already missed.

The Cook family is now uncertain of how they will make up for the lost income to make ends meet.

THE CAMPAIGN

This campaign seeks to help the Cook family stay financially afloat in this time of need.

THE COOK FAMILY

The family is very involved in the community. In addition to being graduates of Langara College’s prestigious Studio 58, both John and Ashley regularly appear on stage and screen across Canada, and in their hometown of Winnipeg. When not on stage, John serves the community across Manitoba through the Sagkeeng CFS, teaching vital life skills to young people, and driving transport. His first play is in development with Toronto’s Native Earth theatre. While Ashley is on mat leave from acting, her first play will be published, produced, and toured by Canada’s famed Green Thumb Theatre in Vancouver, fall 2023. She is also a senior instructor in the Native Youth Theatre program running at Manitoba Theatre For Young People. At 5, Antoine is attending Ojibwe Immersion school and looks forward to his mom and new brother coming safely home.

ABOUT JOHN

John Cook is a Saulteaux, Metis and Anishinaabe theatre artist. His most recent acting credits include Louis Riel, Women Of The Fur Trade (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); Freddie Seven Horses, Dreary & Izzy (Theatre Northwest); Chief Bromden, One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest (Studio 58) films Credits include Nang-Sgisangaa, O For A Thousand Tongues (Trembling Void/Brovofact) which premiered at Cannes; Lenny, Of Mice And Men (Argyle Sox). In 2010 John was nominated and won Best Actor at The American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco. He is currently writing his first draft of Steps which was chosen by Native Earth for 40 Seeds For 40 Seasons.

ABOUT ASHLEY

Ashley Cook (Chartrand) is a Saulteaux, Metis and Anishinaabe theatre artist, wife and mom of two who resides in Treaty One Territory. Her recent acting credits include Deerchild, Bent Boy (Young People’s Theatre), Zhaboonigan, The Rez Sisters (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre); Barb, Only Drunks and Children Tell The Truth (Firehall Arts Centre); and Anon, Anon[ymous] (Studio 58). She studied acting, voice, movement and physical theatre at Studio 58’s acting program and graduated with honours in 2019. She is a recipient of the David Pritchard Award for Outstanding Achievement in Stage Management for her work on Mortified (Studio 58). She has been performing professionally since 2007 and teaches acting classes to youth at Native Youth Theatre and Manitoba Theatre for Young People. Her first play, The Mixolydian will be produced by Green Thumb Theatre in the Fall of 2023.