On January 15th at 8:51 p.m., our daughter Arya entered the world far earlier than expected, born at just 27 weeks and 6 days. What began as a terrifying emergency quickly became a life-altering journey for our family.

After an emergency C-section at East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook, BC, Arya was airlifted the same night to thr Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, where she remains in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The next day, we were flown to Vancouver to be by her side. Arya’s mom spent four days hospitalized before being discharged, and since then we have remained in Vancouver with our baby girl.

At this time, there is no definitive timeline for when Arya will be able to come home. We have been told she will likely remain in the NICU at least until her original due date of April 9th, 2026. We’ve been advised to anticipate ongoing appointments with specialists that will keep us away from home even after being discharged from the hospital. This leaves our family in a difficult position as we face the coming months with very limited income.

While we are endlessly grateful for the incredible care Arya is receiving, the reality of our situation has been overwhelming. We are living in Vancouver without family or close support, unable to work for the foreseeable future, while still maintaining our home and financial responsibilities back in Invermere.

Our hearts are also heavy because our first daughter, Norah, is five years old and currently staying in Invermere with her grandmother. Being separated from her has been incredibly difficult. We desperately hope to find ways for Norah to visit her newborn baby sister, but travel and accommodation costs make this a challenge.

We are now facing significant financial strain between rent, household bills, food, transportation, and extended living costs in Vancouver. Asking for help does not come easily, but right now we need support to remain by Arya’s side during this critical time.

Any donation, no matter the amount, will help relieve the financial burden and allow us to focus on what matters most: supporting Arya’s fight to grow stronger and ensuring Norah continues to feel loved and secure during this separation.

If you are unable to donate, sharing our story also means more than we can express.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your kindness, generosity, and support during this incredibly difficult chapter of our lives.

With gratitude,

Kelvin and Caitlyn

If you’d prefer to donate directly, please contact fundraising organizer (Barbara Murtagh) using the contact button on this page to request Caitlyn’s e-transfer details.

*if you’ve reached out, please check your junk mail for e-transfer information as my responses may end up there.