Lethbridge family raises $18K to bring newborn to Alberta

A Lethbridge family is fighting through a difficult ordeal with the support of family, the community and the generosity of strangers.

Lethbridge’s Mark Horne and Michael Knipe have wanted a baby ever since they met 10 years ago, but their little miracle’s entrance into the world hasn’t come without difficulty.

On March 29, baby Joshua was born two months premature, through a surrogate in Dawson Creek, B.C. He was transported to the children’s hospital in Vancouver.

“He’s having some breathing issues that hopefully will resolve as he grows,” Horne said. “Unfortunately, it became clear that as he was getting older that the breathing wasn’t getting any better.”

Horne says his son has central hyperventilation, and needs breathing support almost 24 hours a day. The two were hoping to move him back to Calgary earlier, to be closer to home, but hit another snag.

“It became apparent that he would need some kind of medical transport (to travel to Calgary),” Horne said. “Unfortunately, both the provincial health authorities in both Alberta and British Columbia have said that they would not cover any of those costs.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It became apparent that he would need some kind of medical transport (to travel to Calgary)," Horne said. "Unfortunately, both the provincial health authorities in both Alberta and British Columbia have said that they would not cover any of those costs."

Horne and Knipe created a GoFundMe page to help raise the $18,000 it would cost to medically transport Joshua to Calgary. It sounds like a lot of money, but amazingly, in just two days they hit their goal.

“It wasn’t just friends and family that were donating,” Horne said. “We had strangers, people in the community in Lethbridge who were making donations. That’s such an honouring and humbling thing to have happen.”

With the funds now secured, it just so happens there is a bed at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary ready for Joshua.

“We have lots of amazing friends in southern Alberta, and Calgary and Lethbridge,” Horne said. “Being closer to the support system that they’ve provided for us over the years is going to be wonderful.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We have lots of amazing friends in southern Alberta, and Calgary and Lethbridge," Horne said. "Being closer to the support system that they've provided for us over the years is going to be wonderful."

Horne says they had the transport booked for Tuesday evening, and providing nothing changed, he was hoping his son would be safe and sound in Calgary by Tuesday night.