Nearly $75,000 raised for Cape Breton pediatrics unit from McHappy Day proceeds

A tour of the pediatrics unit at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital was on tap Thursday for Cape Breton-area McDonald’s staff and Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation members who teamed up on 2023 McHappy Day efforts in the local area, which raised quite a bit of money.

However, at least one of the people present needed no introduction to the floor for children’s medical care.

“It was very, very scary,” said Ashley MacKeigan, whose then one-year-old son Luke came down with a bad case of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in October. “He was hooked up to oxygen monitors, very lethargic.”

MacKeigan works for the Hospital Foundation, but got a first-hand look at the work done on the pediatrics unit while her son stayed there for seven days.

“We received the best care, the best support”, MacKeigan said. “That team is so knowledgeable. They really made us feel like family.”

On Thursday, staff and ownership from area McDonald’s locations presented a cheque for $74,084 to the Regional Hospital Foundation from McHappy Day proceeds.

Wayne Kennerknecht, owner of McDonald’s locations in Cape Breton and as far away as Antigonish, N.S., said the Cape Breton region placed fourth in the country in McHappy Day fundraising – while the Sydney River location placed third nationally among stores.

For staff members who participated, Thursday’s tour of the pediatrics unit helped underscore where the money will go.

“Equipment that they haven’t had for a long time,” said Caitlyn MacDonald, manager of philanthropy for the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation. “That includes a vitals machine, some pediatric beds, also including the renovation of the toy room.”

MacDonald said the upgrades should make a real impact for patients and their families.

“This unit sees more than 200 patients per year,” MacDonald said. “Some of them are here for long-term stays, others for short-term stays.”

MacKeigan said as someone who needed the pediatrics unit on a day she thought might mean a routine trip to the emergency room, it did her heart well to see the donations and promised upgrades that she hopes will benefit other families.

“We had no pajamas for him, we had no toys – we just came here, expecting to go home,” MacKeigan said. “So things like this, in a time of need when you’re not expecting it, is so important.”