The Founders Club is a special group of individual donors who contribute $500 or more throughout the calendar year and collectively have a huge impact on the delivery of patient care at the IWK. Founders receive exclusive recognition for their exceptional generosity.
"I have been a Founder since 1999 because of my love for children." - Pauline Hicks, New Brunswick.
2026 Founders Ambassador
Every year, we select a patient or patient family to be an Ambassador for our very special Founders Club donors. We are honoured to name Baylee our 2026 IWK Founders Club Patient Ambassador! Baylee is a sweet, silly, and courageous 6-year-old, who loves Taylor Swift and playing with her friends.
When Marlee, Baylee’s mom, was 20 weeks pregnant with Baylee, she visited her IWK care team for an ultra-sound. It was then that they discovered Baylee had a congenital heart defect called unbalanced atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD).
AVSD is a heart defect in which there are holes between the chambers of the right and left sides of the heart, and the valves controlling blood flow between these chambers may not be formed correctly. It usually requires surgery to correct the problem.
Marlee was referred to IWK’s Children’s Heart Centre to be monitored closely. It was determined at her 37-week ultrasound that she should be induced to begin labour early. Baylee was born weighing four pounds 14 ounces and was immediately taken to the IWK’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). She was able to go home a week later; however, it wasn’t long before complications from her heart defect started.
During Baylee’s two-month check-up, her care team discovered that she was in heart failure and needed immediate surgery at the IWK. By age five, Baylee would need four more heart surgeries. She is a very strong and brave little girl.
She receives ongoing monitoring and care by her entire IWK team, including six-month check-ups with the IWK cardiology team to ensure her pacemaker and heart are functioning well. Baylee has been thriving since her last surgery!
As an IWK Founders Club member, you are ensuring patients like Baylee have access to the specialized care they need, when they need it most.
We want to give special thanks to Bo, George, Freddy, and their baby brother, Walter, for being incredible 2025 IWK Founders Club Patient Ambassadors!
We have loved all the artwork and updates they have shared with us throughout the year, and we hope you did, too!