Mary Grainger doesn’t have any biological children, but there are thousands of children she considers her own.
Grainger is a volunteer at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). For 40 years, she’s dedicated her time to the most vulnerable children in the hospital — babies staying in the neonatal intensive care unit.
For Grainger, the task is simple. When she’s with a baby, everything else fades away.
“I’m just lost in that world of the baby,” Grainger told Global News. “It’s the greatest job, especially if you can get a smile. It absolutely melts my heart.”
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It’s a valuable role. Parents, doctors and nurses can’t be with every child in their care all the time.
That’s where Grainger comes in. Her job is to comfort the children surrounded by machinery in an unfamiliar place.
“Even looking at the machines here, whenever I’m cuddling James, or I’m sure whenever someone else is cuddling James, everything just relaxes,” said Emily Western, whose son has received Grainger’s loving attention.
Nurses in the unit know caring for a sick child requires more than medicine. That’s why Grainger is so invaluable.
“When you hear a baby crying when you’re busy with the other one, it’s really hard for us. It’s difficult,” said Margo Grunton, a nurse who works alongside the longtime volunteer.
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“There’s no one that could be free to just go pick up that baby and hold them – and that’s all they need.”
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“I can transmit my love to that child”
Grainger loves spending time with the babies. But there are difficult times. Not every baby gets to go home.
“I’ve been told, you know, if you want to go over and say your goodbyes, and that’s, that’s… hard,” Grainger said, her voice catching.
“It’s hard but, I mean, what can you do? You’ve done everything you could for them, but they’re just… you just have to give them that one last cuddle.”
WHAT MAKES AN EVERYDAY HERO?
There are many people trying to make a difference who rarely receive the media attention they deserve. Everyday Hero is our attempt to provide better balance in our newscast. We profile Canadians who don’t go looking for attention, but deserve it. People who through their ideas, efforts and dedication are making a difference in the lives of others.
If you know of an Everyday Hero whose story we should tell, share the information with us by emailing viewers@globalnational.com
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