“She’s someone who has gone through it”: The role of family support specialist in Sunnybrook’s neonatal intensive care unit
Sensing the new mother’s worry, Tufah Sharif reaches for her phone.
“This was then, and this is now,” she says gently, showing a photo of her daughter, born at 25 weeks, compared with present day at seven years old. “She’s strong – look at her – she’s the boss of our family.”
It’s a small thing, but means a lot. One of two family support specialists in Sunnybrook’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), Tufah spends her days checking on new parents. It wasn’t long since Tufah was in their shoes, as a parent of three premature children, two of which were cared for in Sunnybrook’s NICU.
“She’s someone who has gone through it,” says Tiffany Chin, whose baby was also born at 25 weeks. “It’s so overwhelming, you sit in your baby’s hospital room all day, and it’s difficult to see past each day. When I chat with Tufah, or “T”, I always ask to see pictures of her kids. They’re thriving now, you would never know how early they entered the world. It means everything.”
November 17th marks World Prematurity Day, a day aimed at raising awareness of the challenges and impact of preterm birth. The day shines a spotlight on the urgent need to improve care for babies born too soon while providing practical and emotional support for their families.
Sunnybrook was the first hospital in Canada to hire a parent in a paid role. Since 2010, family support specialists have supported parents, helping to boost the unit’s commitment to family-centred care. In addition to building and fostering relationships with families, providers, staff, hospital leaders and the local community, Tufah and Ophelia’s work strengthens ties with partners like the Vermont Oxford Network and and the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation. Both coordinate the development, implementation and evaluation of family-centered, educational and social activities designed to support parents and families of NICU babies.
When asked what advice she gives, Tufah says she encourages parents to be involved in every aspect of their baby’s care, from changing diapers to attending medical rounds. “I tell them: you are an active member of the health care team,” says Tufah. “Most importantly, I tell them to try to stay positive, and to look after themselves. If a parent is strong, they’ll be strong for their baby.”
