From Crib Mates to Teammates – How Two Lakeridge Health Staff Celebrate Their Special Leap Year Day Birthdays

The chances of being born on February 29 are slim – one in 1,461 to be exact. But what are the chances of sharing this unique birthday with a colleague, where you are both born at the same hospital, in the same year? 

Don Baron, Manager, Engineering and Infrastructure, and Lisa McVety, Director of Operations and Administrator at Lakeridge Gardens, have all those things in common, making them both ‘Leapers’ – a term often used by those who have a Leap Year Day birthday.

On February 29, 1964, Don and Lisa were born at the former Oshawa General Hospital. “We were crib mates,” joked Lisa, who has worked at Lakeridge Health for 38 years in a variety of leadership positions.

However, it wasn’t until years into their careers at Lakeridge Health that they made the connection. “I was talking to another colleague one day and the topic of birthdays came up,” explained Don who has worked at Lakeridge Health for nine years. “When I mentioned that I was born on February 29, she had a surprised look on her face and told me that Lisa, one of her close friends, had the same birthday. I went back to my office and sent Lisa an email about it, and 10 minutes later my phone was ringing.”

Since then, Don and Lisa have enjoyed joking about their special day. “I like to poke fun that Lisa’s older than me since she was born at 2:30 a.m. and I was born at 7:35 a.m.,” laughed Don. Lisa also likes to joke that Don was her first date back in the nursery.

Although Leap Year Day babies are celebrated now, Don shared that being born on February 29 hasn’t always been regarded in a positive light.

“Before the age of the internet, it wasn’t so special, and apparently to some, it was bad luck to be born on a Leap Day,” said Don. “On the way to the hospital, my mother demanded that the car be turned around because she was not having a baby on a Leap Day. Needless to say, that didn’t happen.”

Over time, Don has grown to love his birthday. In fact, he belongs to the Leap Year Day Babies Society online and even has a tattoo of a frog with the word ‘Leaper’ under it. Lisa shares that she has always loved having such a special birthday as it makes her unique. “It’s a very small and rare club to be a part of,” she noted.

With 2024 being a Leap Year, Don and Lisa will be able to celebrate with family and friends on their actual birthday. On non-Leap Years, however, Don and Lisa have different traditions in how they celebrate.

“I used to celebrate my birthday on February 28 because I wanted to keep it in February,” said Don. “But my wife’s logic is that I wasn’t yet born on the 28, I was born the day after, so now we always celebrate on March 1.”

Lisa, however, chooses to celebrate her birthday in February for a different reason. “I like the amethyst birthstone and the violet birth flower which both happen to be for February, so I choose to celebrate on February 28.”

While Don and Lisa don’t normally celebrate their birthdays together, with both of them turning 60 (or just 15-years-old if you count Leap Years!), this year might be different. “This is a big year and a milestone birthday,” said Lisa. “I think we just might have to have a reunion outside the nursery to celebrate!”