I'm trying to figure out what kind of device was given as a Christmas gift in the following article, which is from an Ontario, Canada newspaper (
http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2235716). Anyone know what they're talking about?
"Tears of joy streamed down Linda McArthur's face as Dianne Martin handed her the life-changing apnea monitor McArthur's son needs.
Both woman were so overwhelmed with emotion, it took a few moments before either could speak about the $5,000 Christmas gift that will change the life of two-year-old Timothy McArthur.
"I was in a people suck frame of mind because I'd been struggling so hard," McArthur said before bursting into tears. "Somebody can give me an island before I die for Christmas and it will never match this Christmas."
Timothy's battle with sleep apnea was front page news in Monday's Intelligencer. The story garnered an outpouring of support from people across the region who stepped up to give both financial and emotional support to the struggling single mother and her son.
"I was so relieved to know that there might be an end in sight," McArthur said Wednesday night during the emotional meeting at the Comfort Inn on North Park Street.
It was through The Intelligencer website that Martin, the executive for the Mississauga-based Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario, learned of McArthur's plight and decided she wanted to help.
"I didn't really know how tough a situation she was facing until I heard her voice," Martin said. "The relief in her voice over the phone was all we needed to hear to know we had done the right thing."
When the organization discovered the monitor wasn't available in Belleville, they hunted across the GTA all day until one was found in Markham. They not only picked it up, but braved rush hour traffic to deliver it to an elated McArthur.
"When you can do something to make the difference in the life of an individual, then you have to get it done," Martin said. "It's not an option to do it at a more convenient time."
Martin said McArthur's situation showcases not only the lack of adequate government funding for the working poor, but highlights the importance of registered practical nurses who provide front-line service. She said it was a prime opportunity to expose some of the loopholes in a health-care system where poor families can sometimes fall through the cracks.
"We know that we're not doing a great job with wait times," she said. "A lot of it is tied to not having enough health-care providers."
McArthur said she will be forever grateful to Martin and all those who offered support to her son Timothy, who has suffered from sleep apnea, a severe sleep disorder, since he was born. Since his diagnosis in May, the unemployed single mother of three has sought assistance from a slew of local service clubs and charities to no avail. Timothy was referred to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto but he still doesn't have a clinic appointment due to the backlog of patients.
The Intelligencer received more than 10 calls from good Samaritans who wanted to provide assistance. Bruce Nickle, a Belleville man who has battled sleep apnea for about 20 years, was one of the first people to offer assistance. Nickle offered to donate a monitor he had at home. When he discovered that the monitor he had was not compatible to Timothy's needs, Nickle extended his offer to a $400 cash donation.
"I know that this is a daily thing," he said. "This woman needs the monitor now not a week or two weeks from now."
The owner of a local car dealership, who wished to remain anonymous, committed $500 and vowed to use his connection in the local business community to rally enough support to purchase the monitor.
Andy Anderson, another Belleville resident, was also touched by the family's plight. He said it had such a poignant effect on him, he offered to donate $1,000 to the cause.
"I hate to see her go through this at Christmas time," Anderson said.
Another Belleville man, who also wished to remain anonymous, said he was willing to pay the bulk of the cost."