麻豆传媒映画

Ask Richmond mom Hayley Atkinson what the聽 Lights聽 of聽 Hope聽 mean聽 to聽 her, 聽and聽 she鈥檒l聽 say,聽 鈥淓verything.鈥澛�

Although聽 her聽 journey聽 to聽 motherhood聽 and聽 good health聽 has聽 not聽 been聽 easy,聽 Atkinson聽 is聽 profoundly聽 grateful聽 to聽 St.聽 Paul鈥檚聽 Hospital in 麻豆传媒映画and聽 to聽 the聽 generous聽 donors聽 who聽 support聽 the hospital鈥檚 charity, Lights聽 of聽 Hope.聽

Thanks to the hospital and its charity, the mom-of-two battled kidney failure, twice, received two transplants and, against the odds, gave birth to two beautiful baby girls.

Back in 2003, however, a 20-year-old Atkinson and her future husband, Bill, didn鈥檛 know what lay ahead.

They were聽 engaged,聽 finishing聽 school,聽 and聽 planning聽 their聽 future聽 when聽 everything聽 came聽 to聽 an聽 abrupt聽 halt.聽

Her 聽kidneys聽 were聽 failing聽 as聽 a聽 result聽 of聽 an聽 auto-immune聽 disease and her nephrologist,聽 Dr.聽 Abeed Jamal, recommended an immediate six-month course of chemotherapy.聽

Atkinson feared the treatment would dash her dreams of having children and, although Dr.聽 Jamal聽 wanted聽 to聽 start聽 the聽 chemo聽 right聽 away,聽 he聽 understood聽 the聽 couple鈥檚聽 concerns聽 and聽 sent聽 them聽 to聽 a聽 fertility聽 specialist.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the way they do things at St.聽 Paul鈥檚,鈥� she said.

鈥淩ight聽 from聽 the聽 get-go,聽 they聽 weren鈥檛聽 just聽 treating聽 my聽 disease,聽 they聽 were聽 treating聽 me聽 and聽 the聽 life聽 I聽 hoped聽 to聽 have.鈥�

A聽 whirlwind of tests, treatments and a hastily-planned聽 wedding ensued, with Bill聽 insisting they聽 move聽 up聽 the聽 date and, two聽 weeks聽 after聽 her聽 diagnosis,聽 their聽 families聽 gathered聽 to聽 celebrate聽 their聽 marriage.

Atkinson鈥檚 renal聽 team聽 spent聽 the聽 next聽 two聽 years聽 trying聽 to聽 control聽 her聽 condition,聽 but聽 eventually聽 she聽 had聽 no聽 choice聽 but聽 dialysis and, ultimately, find a donor for a full kidney transplant.

Atkinson鈥檚 mom, Jeanne Wunderlick, soon learned she was a match and insisted on being the donor.

The surgery was a game-changer and Atkinson鈥檚 quality of life improved immediately.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚聽 a聽 euphoric 聽feeling聽 to聽 give聽 someone聽 the聽 opportunity聽 for聽 a聽 good聽 life聽 鈥� a聽 really good聽 life,鈥澛� said Wunderlick, who has just turned 65.

A聽 year聽 later,聽 Atkinson got聽 the聽 green聽 light聽 she聽 had 聽been聽 waiting聽 for - they聽 were聽 cleared聽 to聽 try聽 for聽 a聽 baby.聽

鈥淲e made it 36 weeks without any significant complications,鈥� Atkinson said of her pregnancy.

That聽 is,聽 until聽 a聽 freak聽 snowstorm聽 on聽 the聽 day聽 of聽 her聽 scheduled聽 C-section,聽 Dec. 18,聽 2008.聽

Fortunately, they got to St.聽 Paul鈥檚聽 in聽 time聽 to welcome聽 their聽 first聽 born聽 in聽 the聽 midst聽 of聽 a聽 winter聽 wonderland.聽 With聽 mom聽 and聽 daughter聽 safe聽 and聽 cozy聽 inside,聽 dad聽 stepped聽 out聽 to聽 take聽 photos聽 of聽 the聽 hospital聽 wrapped聽 in聽 the聽 quiet,聽 snowy聽 brilliance聽 of聽 the聽 Lights聽 of聽 Hope.聽

The聽 little聽 family聽 was聽 discharged聽 on聽 Christmas聽 Eve,聽 with聽 their baby,聽 Rebecca聽 Hope,聽 named聽 in聽 honour聽 of聽 the hospital lights.

And a year later, Atkinson鈥檚 doctors gave the all-clear for baby number two.聽 But聽 this聽 time,聽 there聽 were聽 serious聽 complications聽 and聽 at聽 just聽 20聽 weeks,聽 she聽 was聽 put聽 on聽 full-time聽 bedrest.

For聽 two聽 months,聽 the聽 renal聽 and聽 obstetrics聽 teams聽 worked聽 together聽 to聽 preserve聽 her聽 kidney聽 function聽 and聽 delay聽 her聽 delivery, with an extra day for the unborn baby meaning聽 the聽 difference聽 between聽 life聽 and聽 death.

In聽 her聽 26^th week,聽 it聽 was聽 clear聽 the聽 baby聽 wasn鈥檛聽 going聽 to聽 wait聽 much聽 longer聽 and聽 responsibility聽 for聽 her聽 care聽 was聽 transferred聽 to聽 BC聽 Women鈥檚聽 Hospital.聽

And an聽 extra聽 21聽 precious聽 days later, baby聽 Leah聽 Grace聽 was聽 born聽 at聽 29聽 weeks,聽 tiny聽 but聽 feisty.

But聽 the聽 pregnancy聽 had聽 taken聽 its聽 toll聽 and聽 Atkinson needed聽 another聽 kidney.

This聽 time,聽 a聽 close聽 friend聽 from聽 university聽 stepped聽 forward and, in 聽December聽 2013,聽 Carolyn聽 Putt聽 celebrated聽 her聽 30^th birthday聽 at聽 St.聽 Paul鈥檚 by giving Atkinson the priceless gift of good health.

And聽 so,聽 for聽 the聽 second聽 time聽 in聽 five聽 years,聽 Atkinson left聽 St.聽 Paul鈥檚 on Christmas Eve under the Lights of Hope.

鈥淭he聽 fact聽 that聽 I聽 have聽 two聽 healthy聽 children聽 is聽 nothing聽 short聽 of聽 miraculous.聽 Truly, the Lights of Hope mean everything to our family,鈥� said Atkinson.

Every聽 year,聽 donations聽 to聽 the聽 Greatest聽 Needs聽 Fund, through聽 Lights聽 of聽 Hope, help聽 improve聽 the聽 lives聽 of聽 people such as Atkinson and her family. Donate today at .