Staff and volunteers at Unity Health are making things a little bit easier for patients, families and loved ones who find themselves separated during long hospital stays.

The “Love Hearts” program started in the St. Joseph’s Health Centre Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where new parents often find themselves separated from their newborn babies. The NICU can be a physically and emotionally overwhelming place for parents, particularly when they have to go home without their children while they receive care.

Spiritual Care Practitioner Lecia Kiksa recognized the emotional strain of the separation, and after meeting Katelyn Poyntz, Director, Project Engineering & Energy, at the St. Joseph’s Mission Champion Showcase, they partnered together to launch Love Hearts.

Lecia sadly passed away earlier this year, but her compassionate and caring legacy lives on at Unity Health in a variety of ways, including this initiative.

Kiksa started giving parents pairs of crocheted hearts, originally made by Poyntz herself – one to keep for themselves and one to leave with their babies, to serve as a source of physical connection during those difficult separations.

“These experiences can be really traumatic for people,” says Poyntz. “Having these hearts, which is something physical, serves as a kind of connection and a source of comfort.”

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After running a pilot of 25 pairs of hearts and receiving an overwhelmingly positive reception, Poyntz realized she wouldn’t be able to keep up with the production on her own. She reached out to a local knitting group on Facebook and found a number of volunteers who were more than happy to jump in and participate.

Jason Rodgers, a Spiritual Care Practitioner, says the program has expanded across the network, with the NICU, Trauma & Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit, Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit and Surgical Unit at St. Michael’s actively participating as well.

Rodgers recounts a particularly touching story about a patient who felt quite scared about the next steps in their care journey. After receiving the hearts, the patient felt much more at ease. 

“The tone changed from fear to happiness,” said Rodgers, adding that it’s a great example of how Spiritual Care is about wellbeing as a whole for patients, families and caregivers who choose to access the resources his team provides. “It was a really beautiful interaction.”

Spiritual Care practitioners use their expertise in spirituality and therapeutic methods to help people respond to health challenges, cope with health changes and find comfort throughout their experiences. They provide care to patients and residents, families, staff and communities.

As for the dedicated volunteers who support the program, Poyntz says she repeatedly hears from them how happy they are to be able to give back.

“It’s a good feeling to make something someone can hold to feel connected to their loved ones,” says Patricia, one of the volunteers who asked to be referred to by first name only. “I really enjoy making the hearts, especially knowing it’s for helping others.”