Dairy Queen's annual Miracle Treat Day is a special one for Sarnia's Stephanie Espinola.
On Thursday, August 8, money from every Blizzard sold locally supports the children's hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), where her son was treated after being born at just 23 weeks at Bluewater Health.
Riley weighed just 600 grams, and was transported by a team to the children's hospital.
He had complications including a heart murmur, and a brain bleed and was placed on ventilators.
Miraculously, he was discharged after 123 days on September 3, 2019.
Espinola said she's forever grateful to the staff at LHSC and Ronald McDonald House where she was able to stay close to Riley for four months.
"I love everybody there," said Espinola. "Without them, I wouldn't have Riley. The people in the NICU were amazing with him. I owe my life to them because they saved my baby. I was very grateful to Ronald McDonald House for housing me so that I could be so close to Riley. I live an hour away, so it was very hard to commute back and forth. It was very helpful that I was only two minutes away from him."
Espinola said Riley is currently doing well with no long-term complications that they can see.
"He is five years old now, and started junior kindergarten (at St. Matthew school in Sarnia), last year and is going into SK this year," she said. "He's great. He just graduated from develop follow-up at the hospital. So, he's doing really great."
Espinola encourages everyone to come out on Miracle Treat Day to support the cause.
"It's really great that they're doing this for the sick kids because there are just so many kids in there that need help. It's just great all around," she said.
Over the last 33 years, Dairy Queen has raised over $2,155,433 for programs, research, education, and equipment at Children’s Hospital, LHSC.
In 2023, participating Dairy Queens across the region raised $92,000 for the Children’s Hospital during Miracle Treat Day.
The Children’s Hospital serves over 57,000 children and youth during more than 179,000 visits each year.