With an active, busy family of five and a ranch with 450 cows to manage, spending six weeks in the hospital away from their home near Central Butte was not something Bobie and Mark Dean were anticipating with their newborn.

Bobie’s son Brand made an early appearance at Regina’s General Hospital at 32 weeks old, weighing 4lbs 9oz. Due to his early arrival and some serious breathing problems. Brand needed to stay in the NICU.

“It was terrifying and hard. He would just forget to breathe on his own” Bobie recalls.Brand required a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and breathing tube to assist his breathing and help the air sacs in his lungs stay open. Then, near the end of his stay, he was switched to a caffeine treatment which stimulated his breathing centre. Brand spent six long weeks in the NICU at Regina General Hospital in order for his lungs to strengthen and allow him to breath on his own. Today, Brand has no ongoing health problems and only has a couple follow-up appointments yearly to track his development.

After Brand’s extended stay in the hospital, the Dean family wanted to find a way to give back and show their gratitude. “We received lots of support from family and the surrounding communities plus had people share stories with us of how the NICU has helped one of their family members” Mark recalls. “I always knew the NICU was in Regina but after needing it and seeing the work that gets done, it made our decision to give back that much easier”.
 
Bobie and Mark thought about how to give back and decided on an unconventional approach to raise funds. They ended up selling a bred Heifer cow and combined with donations they received from their surrounding rural communities, were able to donate over $7,000 to the Hospitals of Regina Foundation.
 
Bobie feels it’s important to support Regina’s hospitals. “We are fortunate enough to be able to give back, and feel it’s important to donate money, time, or whatever towards things that are necessary. You don’t realize what your children may require until you are actually in a time of need.” 

“Growing up in a small community you learn that you need to chip in and do a little more. Giving back is just a part of life” Mark says.“ The Foundation is grateful for the support of donors like Bobie and Mark” said Lisa Green, Vice-President, Development. “Through their creative way of donating, they are helping the Foundation ensure that quality healthcare is available in Regina’s hospitals for all children in southern Saskatchewan.”