After a nearly two-year pause because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rush University Medical Center is bringing back its volunteer cuddler program, a staple in the neonatal intensive care unit for 35 years.
“We try to be here as much as we can, but we can’t be here 24/7,” Nettles said.
“I had, when Chris was here, I had a toddler at home, so I remember too vividly the pull of wanting to be in two places at one time,” Christou said.“The holding, rocking, stroking, reading, singing to the babies is really going to help them organize and develop at a very good rate,” said Judy Friedrichs, coordinator of the cuddler program.
“It was so hard and we would email Judy once a month and say any news yet? Are we going to have the program again?” said Lisa Brenner, a cuddler who has volunteered with the program every Friday afternoon for seven years. Gerard Martusciello is a medical student at Rush and a trained volunteer who was recently welcomed back to cuddle again. He says the snuggling doesn’t just benefit the babies.Not just anyone can sign up to be a cuddler. You do have to go through extensive training that starts with volunteering for at least a year in other areas of the hospital. After that, there are training sessions and staff evaluations, but Thea Christou says the time spent is worth it.
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