The mother of a woman with COVID-19 fighting for her life at Southlake Regional Health Centre is pleading for the community to pray for her.
Marvie Alday made a post on her Facebook page asking for support as her daughter, Julie Ann Lingan of Bradford, remains in serious condition at the Newmarket hospital.
"Her kids and husband miss her a lot and need her," Alday said.
It was around March 11 — the day the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a pandemic — when Lingan started to feel unwell.
She developed a fever and over the weekend was experiencing shortness of breath, which prompted her to visit the emergency at Southlake on March 17. She was admitted and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.
"The doctor and the nurses say that she is not improving yet, but she is also not deteriorating. Her body is fighting the virus," Alday said.
She said her daughter is "holding steady."
"Prayers are working; please let's continue to pray for her healing and full recovery," Alday said.
Alday said Lingan's twins, a boy and a girl, and her husband are doing well and awaiting their COVID-19 test results.
Lingan's children are students at St. Charles Catholic School in Bradford.
"It has been quite challenging the past couple of days, but we are thankful and also overwhelmed as we are stormed with so much support and, most importantly, many prayers for her healing and full recovery," Alday said.
She said Lingan had not recently travelled and was not in contact with anyone known to have the virus.
"So, hopefully people start taking social distancing seriously. Our suspicion this might have been from a silent carrier who had no symptoms," she said.
Alday said it has been hard not being able to visit her daughter in the hospital due to visitor restrictions "but we also recognize that this is imperative in order to prevent the spread the virus."
"The nurses have been wonderful, all the frontliners, and we are assured that she is getting optimal care," she said.
Lingan is a member of the Bradford Mammas Facebook page. Members of the group are banding together to do anything they can to help support Lingan and her family.
"I spoke to the family and got a list of what they needed," said Bradford Mammas member Debbie Viveiros, who dropped off the items at the family's porch over the weekend. .
So far, more than 20 women in the Facebook group have collected $450 and various grocery items for the family.
"The community has been showing such great support," said Alday.
Bradford Mammas group administrator Genna Colucci said monetary donations are still coming in and the family will need the community's support over the next few weeks.
"This is all too close to home. My thoughts and prayers are with this family during such a devastating time. I wish I could do more. I pray this mother recovers," said Colucci.
"Bradford Mammas is not just a group full of remarkable women; we offer support when times get tough. Giving back to the community is what the organization behind Bradford Mammas is all about," Colucci added.
Anyone wishing to help the family are asked to contact [email protected].
Alday added she's hopeful this will help be a lesson for the community about the seriousness of the virus.
"The focus now is hopefully for the community to learn from this, to ensure no one else gets infected and that she gets healed and makes a full recovery soon," she said.
