Published Promise 2025
Greg Shaw and Allen Penny planned to become parents, but their son arrived quite ahead of schedule. “We thought we had another seven or eight weeks before we became a family of three,” Greg says.
It’s been almost four years since the couple’s surrogate went into labour just 32 weeks into her pregnancy. She had a premature rupture of membranes—meaning her water broke before 37 weeks of gestation—which can lead to pre-term labour. For any expecting family, this would be a stressful experience, and it was especially so for Greg and Allen, two first-time fathers living in Whitehorse, Yukon—where there is no NICU.
“She was in what they considered ‘delivery mode,’” Greg remembers, explaining that their surrogate was flown to St. Paul’s Hospital via helicopter. The couple got on the first flight from Whitehorse the next day, and less than three days later, their son—aptly named Yukon—was born. “It felt like the light opened up from the skies and shined down on us when he was actually born,” Greg says.
Yukon needed immediate intensive care. Registered nurse Clara Vuong admitted the 3.7 lb baby to the NICU, where he required continuous monitoring. Staff kept a watchful eye on his heart rate, respiration, and oxygen saturation, and gave him IV antibiotics and a feeding tube to help him get stronger.
But for Greg and Allen, the most memorable part of Yukon’s stay in the NICU was the support provided by the physicians, nurses, and social workers. “The care was just absolutely amazing,” Allen recalls. The kind, patient staff gave the new parents the guidance and assurance they needed. “They were so hands-on, and gave us so much confidence,” says Greg.
Nurse Clara explains that one of her most important roles as a NICU nurse is teaching families how to care for their newborns. She spent a lot of time getting to know Greg and Allen, helping them learn how to read their baby’s cues, change his diapers, and bathe him.
“Just by talking with them, you could tell how Yukon completed their family; it was a wonderful experience to be able to teach them. They were Yukon’s biggest cheerleaders, celebrating his daily milestones.”
Nurse Clara, reflecting on the joy of supporting two proud new dads through the birth of their son at St. Paul’s Hospital.
After 20 days in the NICU, Yukon was discharged. He was off his cardio-respiratory monitor and feeding orally, and Greg and Allen were ready for their next chapter. “We got to go home feeling good about being dads, rather than being nervous,” Greg says.
As Yukon continued to grow—now nearly 50 lbs and almost four years old—the support from NICU staff continued, too. “They still follow us on Facebook, and like and comment on our pictures,” Greg says. “They love watching him grow up.”
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