Every step you take in the Sport Chek Mother’s Day Run, Walk and Wheel is a step for Jackson and Carson.
Caylee and Kris Dahl are the proud parents of two healthy ten-year-old boys, Jackson and Carson. But their story begins when Caylee was just 27 years old and experienced a rare form of cancer. This experience left her unable to have biological children and after many unsuccessful IVF attempts, they finally received the joyous news that they were pregnant. However, they knew this was a high-risk pregnancy from day one and Caylee ended up going into labour at just 25 weeks into her pregnancy.
They were able to hold off delivery until 27 weeks and in October of 2012 their boys were born at approximately 2 pounds each. They were very small and very sick. They faced major challenges from the very beginning, from not breathing at birth to lungs that were not fully developed. One baby would start to get better, then the other and back and forth they would go with a few steps forward, a few steps back.
The NICU became their life for 4 ½ months.
“The NICU wrapped us in their arms and were an incredible support to us during a very scary time. No one understands what it truly means to have a baby in the NICU until you have experienced it.” – Caylee Dahl
“We became incredibly close with our primary nurses. You knew they loved my kids. I wish everyone knew the love in this place and the angels that go to work each and every day to support these very sick babies.”
“I give back because I want future NICU families to have the same incredible experience of support that we did. If the kids receive this level of care, they will have a positive trajectory and future. We are beyond grateful for the care and compassion we received in the Foothills Medical Centre NICU. We have healthy, typical children now. We owe all of that to the NICU.”
Now, the Dahl family is looking forward to participating in the 2023 Sport Chek Mother’s Day 5K/ 10K Run, Walk & Wheel, to support NICUs and Newborn Care in Calgary! Your participation and support through the Run will support our ongoing goal of giving every newborn a fighting chance by ensuring the one in eight babies born prematurely in our community have access to the best technologies available, and we’re actively addressing Alberta’s higher-than-average preterm birth rate through applied research.
“We have chosen to do the Sport Check Mother’s Day run again this year as we are passionate about raising awareness and funds for Calgary NICUs. Thanks to generous donations raised prior to the birth of our children, Carson and Jackson were kept alive by medical equipment purchased by fundraising dollars. We understand that most people that will utilize the NICU never anticipate or expect having to need it. Now that we have experienced NICU life and have such gratitude to those that raised funds which our family benefited from. We feel it is important to support this cause to benefit babies that stay in the NICU in the future. It is always wonderful to participate in these events so we can take time as a family to reflect on the incredible care we received and celebrate the wonderful outcome we had thanks to the Foothills NICU.” – Caylee Dahl
