This is the eighth in a series of articles in partnership with NewmarketToday highlighting 100 years of care and community as Southlake Regional Health Centre celebrates its centennial this year.
York County Hospital officially opened April 18, 1924. One name change and exactly a century later, Southlake marked its 100th anniversary on April 18, 2024 with a unique celebration in the birthing unit to welcome Southlake’s centennial babies: Dean, Elizabeth, Coleson and Brody.
“I’ve been knitting hats for newborns at Southlake since October 2022, and when a team member from the maternal child program reached out with a special request, I got to knitting right away,” said Joan, a volunteer at Southlake.
Since Joan began donating her time and skills to the hospital’s youngest patients as part of the volunteer baby hats program established in 1995, she has knitted 550 newborn hats, including special hats for the centennial babies. Using wool in Southlake colours, dark blue and teal, the babies were each gifted a hand-knitted hat as a token of their birthplace.
Learning that their little ones all shared a special birthday, the parents of the now four-month-old babies met in Southlake’s birthing unit to be given the keepsake that marks their shared history with the hospital.
“Brody is our second child born at Southlake, and the fourth generation in our family. Our generational connection to the hospital is all the more special now knowing that Brody was born on Southlake’s 100-year anniversary,” said Brody’s mom, Mackenzie.
Like Brody, Elizabeth and Coleson are also the second child to be born at Southlake in their growing families.
“It is no surprise that Southlake, as a hospital and care facility, has remained a constant in the Newmarket community for 100 years,” said Alison, Coleson’s mom. “Coleson, our second child, was born on the hospital’s 100th anniversary via c-section after having unforeseen complications with my first natural birth in 2016. During a six-day stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the nurses and staff were all extremely supportive and kind. We once again experienced this during Coleson’s birth. From checking in at the Welcome Centre to interacting with our doctors, and everyone between, the staff at Southlake were wonderful. They made the entire experience as easy and comfortable as possible, especially for a nervous mom.”
Elizabeth’s big sister was born at Southlake in 2020 and her mom, Paula, credits her medical team with helping her and her husband ease into parenthood during the COVID-19 pandemic. This care is why they chose Southlake as the place to have their second daughter four years later.
“Marking Southlake's 100th anniversary with our daughter's birthday will always remind us of the skilled and caring staff who worked hard to make positive experiences for us and this community. Especially Dr. Svystonyuk, whose time and expertise helped me in my lengthier recovery after this delivery,” shared Elizabeth’s mom, Paula.
The only firstborn and delivered minutes before midnight, Dean, was welcomed into the world at 11:36 p.m. to his moms Kayla and Robyn.
Thrilled to learn that her first child is a centennial baby, Kayla, who was also born at Southlake over 30 years ago, reflected on her birthing experience: “Dean needed extra care when he first arrived and spent a few days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and then in the pediatric init before we were sent home as a healthy, brand-new family of three. We are so happy to have our little centennial baby and can’t thank the wonderful Southlake nurses and doctors enough for the care we were given.”
Throughout its first century, Southlake has been part of countless birthing stories like the centennial babies. Both parents and newborns alike have received physical and emotional support from dedicated health-care workers at Southlake for generations, creating a shared legacy with every patient that enters the doors of the hospital.
As Southlake looks to the future, the centennial babies are a reminder of the exciting journey the hospital has ahead of it.
For 100 years and counting, Southlake has built healthy communities through leading edge care with an unwavering pride for people, place and performance. To celebrate its centennial anniversary, Southlake is revisiting some of its hallmark stories and achievements over the years through the Southlake 100 series. Learn more about Southlake’s esteemed history and how they’re celebrating throughout the year at www.southlake.ca.
