This is the story of Luna Foley, a newborn fighter, and her parents who have spent the last month living at SickKids Hospital in Toronto.

Luna was born March 21, 2026 after an emergency C-section at Credit Valley Hospital. During pregnancy, her parents learned she has a very severe case of *hydrocephalus* — fluid builds up in her brain and can’t drain like it should. There was nothing doctors could do until after birth, so Luna spent her entire pregnancy with that pressure. Her parents were told she likely wouldn’t develop normal motor or verbal skills and would need surgery for a shunt.

Mom was scheduled to deliver at Mount Sinai Hospital, directly across from SickKids, with an immediate transfer planned for Luna. But her placenta ruptured suddenly at home in Mississauga. An ambulance rushed her to Credit Valley — not the planned hospital.

On arrival, Luna’s heart rate was undetectable. Mom was taken for an emergency C-section. Luna was stabilized and immediately transferred to SickKids with Dad, while Mom remained at Credit Valley to recover for 5 days, separated from her newborn during Luna’s emergency procedures.

Those first 5 days were devastating for Dad. He was suddenly alone — traveling constantly between SickKids with his critical newborn, Credit Valley Hospital with his wife recovering from major surgery, and their place in Mississauga to grab clothes and essentials. He was trying to be in three places at once while processing the trauma of the birth, all while struggling to eat, going days without proper food or sleep, and trying to keep basic life duties from collapsing. He became the sole lifeline between a NICU baby and a post-surgical mother, running on adrenaline and whatever he could find.

When Mom was discharged from Credit Valley, within days the family had to move from Mississauga to Toronto to be closer to their daughter at SickKids. They gave up their home to cut down on hours of daily travel so they could be at Luna’s bedside, but the sudden move added heavy financial strain on top of everything else.

Since then, both parents have gone many days without food and without proper sleep. SickKids only provides meals for patients. Parents are on their own. Between bedside vigils, medical meetings, and the mental weight of watching their daughter fight, basic self-care has become impossible. Dad continues to handle all travel, appointments, and survival logistics while Mom recovers, and Mom has been forced to neglect her own healing to stay with Luna.

Luna’s parents have been living at SickKids for a month straight. Before this, Mom was hospitalized at Mount Sinai for 10 days. As of right now, there’s no discharge date in sight. But Luna is improving every day and the hope is that she could come home in the relatively near future. The family needs to be ready for when that day comes.

SickKids provides world-class care for Luna, but there is very little financial support for families. Parents pay out-of-pocket to feed themselves daily. With parking, transit, and weeks of lost income, the costs have become crushing.

The family was already in debt before Luna was born due to Mom’s multiple hospitalizations for hyperemesis and a kidney infection. The past month has pushed them past breaking.

The parents have been reluctant to ask publicly, but the situation has become unsustainable. Support is needed so they can focus on Luna’s healing and bring her home safely — without either parent’s health collapsing in the process.

Due to the financial strain and being at Luna’s bedside 24/7, she has not been able to get proper postnatal care since her emergency C-section. She has been forced to neglect her own recovery. She needs follow-up appointments, medication, and basic care to heal.

Luna will require ongoing medical supplies not covered by OHIP or insurance: NG feeding tubes and bags, different syringe sizes, pH testing strips, medical face tape, and sterile water for premature infants.

Her parents have also had to pay out of pocket for CPR certification and specialized training on Luna’s feeding tube and emergency care. They cannot bring her home until both are trained — due to her abnormally small airways her life depends on it.

Additional urgent needs include:

- Food & survival at the hospital: They’ve been paying for every meal for over a month, and have gone many days with little to no food while caring for Luna.

- Storage locker: They’re 2 months overdue. Almost all of their belongings and all of Luna’s things are in that locker.

- Phones: One cell phone has been cut off. They’re down to one cracked phone that barely works. Both parents need working phones to be reachable 24/7 by each other and by SickKids / her medical team if separated during an emergency.

- Baby essentials for safe discharge: A safe crib, bottle warmer, and a proper stroller that can fully support her head and neck due to the hydrocephalus are still needed.

- Suitable housing: The family is currently in a room. It’s not large enough or set up for a medically fragile newborn with feeding tubes, medical supplies, and appointments. They need to secure a bigger, safe place where Luna can come home and heal, and where both parents can finally rest and recover.

- Ongoing transit: Once Luna is outpatient, travel between home and SickKids will be 1-3 times per week for appointments, plus Mom’s overdue postpartum follow-ups.

- Overdue bills: From weeks of lost income, the urgent move from Mississauga to Toronto within days of Mom’s discharge, and living between hospitals.

*How donations help*

Funds go directly to: Luna’s medical supplies, CPR/feeding tube training, Mom’s postnatal care, saving the family’s storage locker, restoring both phones for emergencies, feeding the parents who have gone without, baby equipment for safe discharge, weekly transit, overdue bills, and securing a safe, bigger home for Luna.

For those unable to donate, sharing Luna’s story and sending prayers is deeply appreciated.

Luna Foley is a fighter. Her parents have sacrificed their health, sleep, stability, and home to stay by her side. This is a chance to help them keep fighting — and finally let them eat, sleep, and heal too.

– On behalf of the Foley family