Tara Baker

Peace of mind, a sense of relief, precious, uninterrupted time…these are just some of the invaluable gifts that donors, like you, give to Cape Breton families during some of their scariest days.

My name is Tara Baker, and I’m the Clinical Nurse Lead for the Pediatrics Unit at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital (CBRH).

I’d like to offer a heartfelt thank you for your previous gifts to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation. I want you to know that I witness the significant impact these types of gifts have on patients’ lives daily.

Every day, children in Cape Breton face health challenges that no child should have to face. Each year, as the province’s only dedicated pediatric department outside of the IWK, we care for over 200 children in our inpatient unit and more than 2,500 in our pediatric ambulatory care clinic.

For many families, the financial burden of a child’s illness adds an additional layer of stress to an already difficult situation. That’s where the Pediatrics TLC Fund steps in.

The Pediatrics TLC Fund helps to eliminate financial barriers for 30 patients and their families each month.

Here are a few examples of what donor generosity has provided for patients in need: Travel cards for those with specialist appointments in Halifax; medications not covered by medical insurance; specialized equipment to allow patients to be safe at home with their families; taxi chits for those who must travel back-and-forth to the CBRH weekly; a Subway gift card so parents can have a meal while their child is in-hospital; and so much more.

More than the tangible items, I want you to know the visible wave of relief and the happy tears that overcome parents and caregivers when we let them know that, because of donor support, they will be able to afford groceries this week. They will be able to get their critically ill child to their specialist appointment. They will be able to focus on loving their baby, rather than worrying about their finances.

Each year, the Pediatrics TLC Fund distributes more than $40,000 in support to Cape Breton patients and their families in need. With the rising costs of living, the need is growing, and we need more donor support to sustain the Fund.

Nobody plans for their child to get sick. But, when the unimaginable happens, you drop everything. This could mean missing work for extended periods of time without paid time off, finding additional childcare for siblings, and more.

This Fund is crucial to numerous families in our community, and I want you to know that any amount given will help. Without it, I do not know how we would be able to provide the level of care that we do. And I do not know how many of our patients, who need to travel for appointments, would actually be able to go.

Thank you again for your previous support of health care in Cape Breton. I hope you will consider giving to this important area of care if you are able. Your gift will help ease the financial burden that parents and caregivers of sick children face.

Forever grateful,
Tara Baker
Clinical Nurse Lead, Pediatrics Unit
Fellow Cape Bretoner
Mom to Jayme and Peter