Laura and Nick Bourdignon, who had experienced the death of their baby, were doubled over when they received their daughter's autopsy bill. The couple from British Columbia say the experience has inspired them to take action to improve hygiene practices and prevent similar mistakes.

Last October, while they were still grieving, they received a letter from the British Columbia Provincial Health Services Agency (PHSA) with a list of tests to be performed by the coroner. The envelope was addressed to Makayla Poppy, the name they had chosen for their daughter.

The letter indicated that the baby's body had not yet been transferred to the mortuary and had remained in the mortuary for almost two weeks after the autopsy, while his birth had occurred on September 25, 2024.

Family reaction and system reform
Health officials admitted the mistakes and canceled the bill, but the Bourdignons requested a face-to-face meeting with hospital officials to make sure their grief was not in vain. "The meeting was a positive experience," Lavera said. They explained the process of investigating the case and the communication path in detail."

"It wasn't just one person or one team making a mistake, there were significant communication gaps and gaps," Nick added.

Changes and improvements
They found out that the reason Makayla was billed was because the "SB" was not marked on the file to indicate a stillbirth. The system is now automated to reduce human error.

Also, communication gaps between the hospitals — Makayla's birth at Ridge Meadows Hospital and the autopsy at BC Children's Hospital — are being investigated and corrected. The authorities have put the process of improving communication with burial centers and returning bodies to families on the agenda.

Support and awareness
After the CBC published their story in May, the Bourdignons received letters and messages of support from across Canada and met people who had similar experiences. They hope that by making their story public, the taboo around stillbirth, abortion and infant death will be reduced. "It's great to change the narrative from 'shut up' to 'we need to talk about this,' so we can help more people," Laura said.

Also, 35 of their family and friends formed Team Makayla Poppy and raised more than $11,000 in the Butterfly Run charity run in Vancouver. This non-profit organization supports families who have faced the loss of a baby on the path to parenthood.

Laura and Nick say that this action was a fitting tribute to their daughter's memory, and being with other families who had a similar experience created a sense of community and solidarity.

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