March 15, 2016
Marie-Estelle Peteytas shows off her two-month-old daughter Mathilda, who was born in the women’s labour and delivery unit at the Peter Lougheed Centre. The unit is undergoing major renovations to boost its family-friendly environment and care.
Story and photo by Kerri Robins
CALGARY — More than $300,000 raised at the second annual Calgary Health Trust and Red FM radiothon will go towards upgrades in the Mai Bhago triage area of the Peter Lougheed Centre (PLC).
The triage area — part of the women’s labour and delivery unit on the third floor of the PLC — includes obstetrics, the labour and delivery unit and the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
The radiothon, held Nov. 25, is helping to fund a complete renovation to the third floor, with future growth in mind.
The Mai Bhago triage area — the epicentre of the women’s labour and delivery unit — is the PLC’s first point of contact for expectant moms about to deliver or who may be experiencing complications in pregnancy.
This is great news for women like 36-year-old Marie-Estelle Peteytas, who delivered her first baby, Mathilda, at the PLC.
“Mathilda and I had great care while we were there, but my husband wasn’t able to stay overnight,” says Peteytas.
Fortunately for new moms like Peteytas, the renovation will change all that, with greater accommodation for parents who wish to remain by their newborn’s side.
Valerie Marsten, Executive Director of Surgery and Women’s Health at the PLC, says the vision of the women’s health unit is to be more family-friendly, with space reconfigured efficiently to improve patient- and family-centred care.
“We’re really excited about the new women’s health unit because we’ll be able to accommodate about 1,000 more births a year and, after the renovation, we’ll go from 36 to 50 post-partum beds,” adds Marsten.
Currently, about 5,700 babies a year are delivered at the hospital, where the triage area will see three new assessment and treatment spaces added to the existing eight. Three new ante-partum beds (pre-birth) will join the five beds currently in use. Labour and delivery rooms will increase to 14 from 11, and a third recovery room will be added. The renovation is designed to allow for future population growth.
“We’re getting state-of-the-art equipment and looking at a central fetal monitoring system that will add another level of safety and quality to our care, as well as enhance communications within our health care team,” says Marsten.
The triage area is named after Mai Bhago, a legendary Sikh woman who led her soldiers against the warring Mughals in 1705. She killed several enemy soldiers on the battlefield, and is considered to be a saint by Sikhs.
The area will also be state-of-the-art, with an environment that meets new standards for infection prevention and control. As well, it will offer more privacy and efficiency in meeting the care needs of moms and babies in a large, unique and diverse close-knit community.
Renovations, slated to start this spring, should be completed by late 2017.
“The renovation will really be an improvement in how we use our space, and that helps us improve patient flow,” says Marsten.
Jill Olynyk, CEO of Calgary Health Trust, says she’s thankful for radiothons that have raised more than $1.2 million in just over two years.
“We are once again overwhelmed with the incredible generosity of the community, who have yet again showed how dedicated and committed they are,” says Olynyk. “We are so grateful for the opportunity to be involved.”
For more information, please visit calgaryhealthtrust.ca.
