Leah Hupe was 27-weeks pregnant when her water broke prematurely leading to a transport with Ornge. 

On January 3^rd, Leah Hupe was 27-weeks pregnant when she experienced an episode of heavy bleeding during breakfast.

"We were having breakfast, like we regularly do, and I felt something. I went to the bathroom and sure enough I was bleeding heavily. I was farther along in the pregnancy, so I panicked a little bit. I called another ambulance."
Episodes of heavy bleeding to this point in her pregnancy was not common.

During her pregnancy with Edith, Leah experienced multiple episodes of severe bleeding
"Leading up to that day, I was dealing with a high-risk pregnancy with periodic episodes of severe bleeding," said Leah.

The first episode occurred when Leah was 14 weeks pregnant and at work.

"I thought it was a miscarriage, but it turned out it wasn't. It was just heavy bleeding. I almost had to get a blood transfusion."

The bleeding happened again at 22 weeks and then again at 25 weeks. By the time she reached 27 weeks, another episode would change the course of her pregnancy journey.

After arriving at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Leah was assessed by her OB team. Discussions quickly turned to whether she would need to be transferred to a hospital with a higher level of neonatal care.

"There were some talks about me getting transferred to another hospital with a specialized Level III NICU. Our NICU is only Level II, and it can only handle babies that are 30 or 32 weeks and are up and above a certain weight. Edith wasn't there yet."

Leah spent the night in hospital, where monitoring began picking up contractions. Her care team determined that if she went into labour prematurely, she would require specialized care.

“Dr Novak was the OB watching me there and said I might have to go to Toronto because if I went into labour, that would be the best place to be." However, the decision was made to transfer Leah to London. 

On January 3, 2026, Leah learned she would be transferred from Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre to Victoria Children’s Hospital in London for specialized maternal and neonatal care. Leaving home was especially difficult. Leah's older daughter Abby was sick and was being cared for by her husband Mike. “Mike couldn't come with me at that time unfortunately because Abby was sick. I didn't want Abby to be in the hospital."

Soon after, the transport team arrived.

"They came in and brought me into the ambulance. My older sister, Allisa, ended up coming because they wanted someone to be there."

Leah was transported by land ambulance to the airport before continuing her journey to London.
"It was a very comfortable ride. I felt very well taken care of. I was also on a stretcher, and it was very comfortable."

Despite the reassurance of the transport team, Leah recalls the emotional weight of leaving her family behind.
"I was an emotional mess because I had to leave Mike and Abby at home. I was so worried about what was going to happen when I got to London."

Having spent her life in Thunder Bay, arriving in a large city was overwhelming.

"I'm so used to being in a small town and being in a big city like that was definitely almost like a culture shock."
Upon arrival at Victoria Children’s Hospital in London. The next day, her water broke prematurely. A week later, on January 10, 2026, her daughter Edith was born.

"I stayed there for a week before Edith was born." Leah's journey was far from over. She spent a total of 25 days in London before she and Edith were transferred back to Thunder Bay on January 30.

The experience of having a baby at the NICU was one of the most difficult parts of Leah's recovery.

"The hardest part after having Edith was being in the postpartum room and listening to other moms having their babies with them, while I had to travel through the hospital to get to mine."

Throughout her stay, Leah found comfort in the care she received from the clinical staff.

"I cannot speak enough about how wonderful they were in London. It's very hard to explain how amazing the care was there."

"It was wonderful even before I had her. The nurses were so reassuring, caring, compassionate and knowledgeable. They knew exactly what was going on."

One nurse left a particularly lasting impression.

"There is one specific nurse named Sara I will always remember. She was on my team for quite a while. She was absolutely amazing and took great care of me."

Recovering after Edith's birth presented additional challenges. Leah experienced postpartum complications and came close to remaining in London for another week. Fortunately, her care was eventually transferred back to Thunder Bay.

"Everything ended up being fine."

Once back in Thunder Bay, Edith continued her NICU journey for almost another 60 days before finally coming home on April 2.

Leah remembers the transport teams fondly throughout those months.

"Everyone would come and smile when they came to transfer babies and would ask how I was doing. They were very wonderful."

Today, life looks much different to them. With an almost eight-month-old baby and a toddler, life is chaotic, but Leah and her family are keeping up as best they can. Alongside her husband Mike, Leah enjoys spending time outdoors with their family and their two Labrador retrievers, Charlie and Finn. Whether camping, hunting or fishing, life is busy and active for the family in Thunder Bay.

"It's fun. I enjoy having two kids."

"Edith is wonderful. She is absolutely amazing, and Abby is an amazing big sister. They just love each other so much."

When reflecting on the care she received, two values stand out most clearly.
"Patient-centered and kind."

"They were really listening to what I had to say and what my concerns were. They were always making sure I was comfortable and constantly checking in."

As Leah continues to navigate life after a traumatic pregnancy journey, she remains deeply grateful to the Ornge transport crew, and everyone involved in her care.

"Thank you, Ornge.”

“It was a very traumatic time in my life. I still kind of have some mental health issues and anxiety from everything that happened and from having a premature baby.”

“So, thank you Ornge, and I hope everybody gets the same treatment as I did because it was nothing but exceptional." said Leah.

--
Have you or a loved one been transported by Ornge? Sharing your story helps raise awareness about safety and offers other patients some insight into experiences they may be facing. Share your story today!

 

• Patients and Families