A complicated twin pregnancy brought us to live in Vancouver so that we would be near Children's Hospital for daily appointments. Our twin girls were born at 30 weeks and were both in the intensive care unit. It was such a blessing to have accommodation in one of the Y.A.N.A. apartments so that we could be near our baby girls. I don't know how we could have kept our family together or managed the financial strain of paying for a second residence without Y.A.N.A.'s support.

After two weeks, we received information telling us that one of our little girls, Sophie, had a very serious and rare brain defect that left her unable to survive unassisted. She was taken off life support the next day and we were left a grieving family dealing with the loss of one child, the care of our other premature baby, Sonny, and our 2 year old son. It was a difficult and unique experience dealing with sadness and joy at the same time. It was such a blessing to have the Y.A.N.A. apartment for a refuge away from the hospital, a place to grieve in private, rest, and be together as a family. I don't know what we would've done without it. I will feel forever compelled to be a part of Y.A.N.A. to ensure that these services are continued for our community.

Thank you for providing the essential service we had no idea we would need!

Well, where to start on how Y.A.N.A. has helped us. SO, here it goes.. My water broke at 22 weeks and we were told that we would have our baby and most likely would not survive.

We beat those odds. My daughter Reagyn was born at 24 weeks and 5 days and weighed 835 grams (1 pound 13 oz). We spend 104 days in the hospital. Y.A.N.A. helped take the financial stress in a very stressed time. Not to mention the many many trips we have made back to Children's Hospital.

Y.A.N.A. is such a blessing to the Comox Valley, and has helped my little family out. I am a single mom and going back and forth to Children's Hospital is a big expense so Y.A.N.A. has blessed me hugely.

Thank you Y.A.N.A.

And thank you to the Comox Valley for all the support to keep this great organization running.

Hi, my name is Joshua and I am six years old. I was born with a sick heart and I was flown to Vancouver in a helicopter. I had surgery on my heart when I was 7 days old.

My mom and I visit BC Children's Hospital a lot. Sometimes I go for surgery and sometimes just for checkups. The doctors know that I am going to need a new heart valve when I get older. When my mom and I go to the hospital, Y.A.N.A. helps us to get there.

My mom says that Y.A.N.A. gives us a home away from home.

Hi! My name is Nick. I am two years old. I was born with an incomplete GI tract and needed three surgeries before I was 6 months old. It was nothing...really. I don't even remember it but my parents sure do!

Mom and Dad are very grateful for all of the love and support they received from family and friends.

Y.A.N.A. shared their community support and love across the ocean and right into BC Children's Hospital where I stayed for many nights.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

My name is Annika. I was born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. When I was born at St. Joseph's, the doctors and nurses knew I needed help and quickly flew me to BC Children's Hospital. I had surgery when I was one week old. They repaired my diaphragm and gave my lungs more space to grow.

Y.A.N.A. gave  my parents an apartment to live in near the hospital. Mom and Dad told me that Y.A.N.A. was able to help us because we lived in the Comox Valley, where people cared alot. 

Hi, my name is Amethyst. I am 9 years old and I live with Cystic Fibrosis. I was born with CF, but my family did not know about it until I was 4 and a half. When I was finally diagnosed with CF, I had to stay in the hospital in Vancouver for 2 whole weeks.

With Y.A.N.A.'s help my parents were able to stay with me in Vancouver while we learned all about CF and how to take care of it. Since then I have had to go to Vancouver  3 or 4 times a year for checkups. Y.A.N.A. always helps my family out so that they can come with me. My family is very grateful to Y.A.N.A. and all they have done for us. 

Thank you!!!

Hy my name is Lilia. I was born 7 weeks early. I was flown to Surrey Memorial Hospital then ambulanced to the Nanaimo General Hospital where I was born. Before I was allowed to go home we we had to stay for a bit at St. Joseph's here in Comox too.

Thank you Y.A.N.A. for making it possible for my Mummy and Daddy to travel to all the places that I needed to be.

Love, Lilia

Hi, my name is Owen and I was born on February 14, 3 1/2 months premature.I weighed only 2lb 5oz when I was born so I had a lot of growing and maturing to do. I spent 117 days in the hospital before I was able to go home. Most of this time was spent in the NICU at BC Children's Hospital. It was a rocky road for me as well as my parents.

Thanks to Y.A.N.A., my parents were able to stick together the whole time to give me the TLC that I needed. Y.A.N.A. gave us a fully furnished apartment close to the hospital as well as finances so my Dad could stay with my mom. They were awesome and we are forever grateful.

We spent 4 days getting to know our daughter in the ICU before she went for her open heart surgery. She struggled after her surgery and was in very critical condition for the first 2 weeks. We were afraid we were going to lose our second daughter. She pulled through, and ended up on a 6 week course of antibiotics in BC Children’s as a complication of her surgery. During that time Tori developed respiratory distress, and ended back up in the ICU in early January 2008. Little did we know at that time, there she would remain for the year, until her discharge December 15, 2008. She underwent several more procedures, including a heart catheter procedure, feeding tube placement, airway lasering, and another rarely performed open heart surgery. At 5 months of age, Tori got a tracheostomy, after which she finally started to show minor improvements. She continued to need a ventilator, and needed to get bigger before she could be stable enough to go home. She celebrated her first birthday in the Intensive Care Unit at Children’s hospital, and was lucky enough to be discharged 2 weeks later.

She is trached and ventilated, and a lot of work to care for at home, but she’ll grow out of these things. She’ll need 3 more open heart surgeries as she grows. But she’s home, and got to spend her 2nd Christmas in Courtenay with family and friends. All tolled, we spent an unanticipated 15 months in Vancouver. Y.A.N.A. provided financial assistance for our accommodation, so we could focus 100 percent on what we needed to most, our daughter Tori. It is hard to explain how much it means to have stress from other areas (i.e. financial) removed while going through such a lengthy and emotionally draining hospital stay. Y.A.N.A. have also offered additional help for the numerous follow up appointments we will have in Vancouver as Tori grows. We are truly thankful for all the help they have given us, again, so we could focus on getting our daughter healthy.