Volunteering a little love and friendship

Caring Cuddler supports mother and child alike

Story by Heather Kipling

Who knew more than a decade ago that the simple act of volunteering to hold a baby in need would develop into a friendship that would span the years?Certainly not Dorothy Falesau who, for more than 12 years, has been a Pediatric Caring Cuddler at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC).

The Caring Cuddler program is a request-based program co-ordinated by the Volunteer Resources Department where volunteers work in the pediatric and neonatal intensive care units.

“There’s nothing quite like carrying a crying, sick child and feeling the calmness settle over them as you rock, walk, and sing,” says Falesau. For parents to know that their child is in kind, gentle care, so they can get a break from the hospital, is a very big relief.”

It was certainly a relief for Lucy Denton, who was one of the first mothers Falesau met when she began volunteering. Denton’s son, Chas, was born premature and was transferred from Canmore to RDRHC.

“I was in quite a state by the time we got to Red Deer,” says Denton. “I was very worried about Chas and was often in tears. Meeting Dorothy was so helpful. She was there to help me navigate the world of hospitals. She was always happy to talk when I needed to talk and her shoulder was always ready if I needed somewhere to cry. I made a friend for life.”

The Caring Cuddlers program involves more than 30 volunteers who are all screened to ensure that they have experience with children.

Parents work with unit staff to set up sessions where volunteers can help whenever the parents can’t be with their children, and to support parents when they need it.

“It really does give you a warm, fuzzy feeling that even something as seemingly simple as cuddling makes a world of difference in the life of one child and one family,” says Falesau, who has had the opportunity to support hundreds of babies and their families over the years.

Even when Denton was able to take Chas home, the friendship remained. Falesau celebrated Chas’s first birthday with the family and, although the she lost contact with them for a number of years, the friendship was rekindled last December.

“On the Saturday after Christmas, I got up early and drove to Calgary on a snowy, cold day to have breakfast with Lucy and her family,” says Falesau. “I arrived with great excitement to meet them and, when I walked up to the house and rang the bell, this young freckle-faced boy met me at the door and greeted me with a big hug.

“It was Chas, now almost 12 years old. I had such a wonderful time and I look forward to spending more time together.”

The lasting friendship is something that Volunteer Resources Co-ordinator Darci Shave says illustrates the impact Caring Cuddlers can have.

“Volunteers can create such a connection with patients and their families,” says Shave. “It’s something very special to be a part of. They can have a lasting impact.”