Charlene Chambers watched as her son Asher transfered between incubators and heaters during his stay at the Victoria General Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

A $123,000 donation to the NICU from Variety, the Children's Charity, funded two new Open Care Units that convert from incubators to a heated table so babies don't have to be transfered between units to undergo procedures.

"These regulate and control body temperature with minimal handling," said Dr. Adele Harrison, neonatoligst at the NICU.

These additions will help the 500 babies treated at the NICU each year, including Asher.

Asher Chambers was born weighing just two pounds, 12 ounces, 12 weeks early on Jan. 15. Luckily for his family they live nearby in View Royal and are able to stay close to the newborn.

"Having a baby in the NICU is a scary experience but for us it's also been a positive one," said Charlene Chambers adding her son has doubled his size now weighing four pounds, 9 ounces. He is expect to stay in hospital until the end of April.

reporter@goldstreamgazette.com