Birthing Target Achieved Ahead Of Schedule

ALLISTON, ONTARIO – A nine pound, five ounce boy became the two hundredth baby born at Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) since the Birthing Unit was reopened on April 21, 2008.

Henry Hawkins was delivered by Janis Dalacker and Marcia Rowat of Caring Hands Midwifery Services on Friday, March 6. He is the first child of Lindsay Moyer and Kelly Hawkins.

Gary Ryan, President and CEO of SMH, congratulated the couple on their first child and the hospital’s 200th since April. He said every child is a miracle and wished the family well.

“Our target for the first year was set at 200 and we have achieved that in 10-and-a-half months,” Ryan said. “We are one of very few hospitals in the province that has successfully reopened an obstetrics program and it is a credit to the physicians, staff and community, that we have reached this goal.”

Ryan noted the work of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care in providing direction for the inception of a regional collaborative program with Southlake Regional Health Centre. He said the shared resources had allowed the program to move forward and had provided training opportunities to staff. The tremendous efforts of the community to reinstate the Birthing Program at SMH were also noted and Ryan thanked members of the Maternal Child Advisory Committee (MCAC) for continuing the support.

"The personal, friendly and professional care of the Birthing Unit is truly unique and very comforting" said Sylvia Biffis, Chair of the MCAC, who recently gave birth to a baby girl at SMH.

"The MCAC, whose members include representation from midwifery, doula care, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, the SMH Director of Maternal Child Program, SMH Chief of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and other community members, is very proud of the Maternal Child Program at SMH, offering exceptional service close to home. We will continue to support the advancement of high-quality maternal child health care and we will encourage our community to make SMH their choice for bringing their babies into the world,” Biffis said.

Kelly Hawkins made special mention of the staff in the Birthing Unit who, he said, had made the birth a “great experience.”