Two volunteers from the CHU Sainte-Justine have cuddled up to 600 tiny premature babies since the start of a program about a year ago, to support parents who find themselves in the turmoil of the hospital during this difficult time.
“We already knew that we were going to end up on the unit [de néonatalogie], because I had been followed since the beginning of my pregnancy, but it was still a big shock. It’s worse for parents who don’t expect to come here, ”says Jessica Houle immediately, glancing at her spouse, Jean-Philip Bernier-Comtois.
Photo Erika Aubin
Jessica Houle and Jean-Philip Bernier-Comtois, the parents of little Thomas, 5 months old, hospitalized since birth.
The young mother gave birth in this unit for sick or premature babies at the CHU Sainte-Justine.
Her little Thomas has been hospitalized there since birth, due to a congenital malformation. In five months of life, he has already undergone three operations, and another open heart is coming in the coming weeks.
The couple who live in Abitibi-Témiscamingue can count on the help of two seasoned volunteers, Christine Lachambre and Marie-Claude Roux.
They meet each parent who ends up in the neonatology unit in order to accompany them by explaining to them the operation and the regulations.
Anxiety inducing
“Couples usually have a perfect picture of childbirth…then when they find themselves here, they’re pitched into an unfamiliar medical world, where there are lots of machines ringing and lots of different staff every day. It’s very disorienting and anxiety-provoking,” explains Martin Reichherzer, head of the neonatology unit.
Photo Erika Aubin
The two volunteers cuddle little Thomas in his room at the CHU Sainte-Justine.
He set up this volunteer program to meet a need to better support parents.
“Being at Sainte-Justine is serious. We are their point of reference, we try to make their stay easier, to play down things,” adds Marie-Claude Roux.
Their mission is also to answer every little question of convenience that new parents do not necessarily dare to ask the medical staff.
“If they answer a question related to parking, it then allows parents to leave a baggage of stress behind them knowing that their car will not be towed and to focus 100% on their baby”, cites as an example M Reichherzer.
“Warmth in our hearts”
Jessica Houle and Jean-Philip Bernier-Comtois, who currently live at the Ronald McDonald House, had a difficult month of December after so much time away from their loved ones and their home.
The young parents are delighted to have been able to count on the little attentions of the two volunteers. Among other things, they brought them stuffed animals, hot coffee and books to read to little Thomas.
“They brought warmth to our hearts”, drops the dad.
rewarding
Christine Lachambre, who worked in education as a remedial teacher, and Marie-Claude Roux, who was a pharmacist, both had plans to volunteer when they retired in order to “give back”.
“I’m ending my day and I feel like I’ve made a small difference. I give, but I believe that I receive even more in return. It’s so satisfying,” says Marie-Claude Roux, who encourages people to get involved.
For a year, they have accompanied nearly 600 parents and even more small babies.
“There are a lot of premature twins and most of the triplets in the province go through this unit,” says Christine Lachambre, who has even seen a mother give birth to quintuplets.