A hello. An embrace. A song. These are simple actions that mean the world to babies in the special care nursery at Mass General Hospital.
"I am very lucky to be able to do this," Karen Branley said. She is a volunteer cuddler who comes in once a week to spend time with the newborns.
The cuddler program at MGH began in 2011 as a way to help nurture babies who have to stay in the hospital for an extended period of time.
"Sometimes their mothers or fathers go back to work, so they can have their time afterwards when the babies come home," Karen explained.
The program is the first one in the Boston area that trains all volunteers in neonatal development.
"We incorporated an occupational therapist to teach them really about the development of premies and newborns," said Alexa O’Toole, one of the creators of the program.
And while the staff at MGH say its the cuddlers who change the babies lives.
"They gain weight quicker, they have shorter length of stays," Alexa explained.
Karen says it’s the babies and the cuddler program that have given new meaning to her life.
"They are precious gifts. They are very precious gifts."
Volunteer cuddlers must commit to three hours a week for a full year.
How you can help: MGH Volunteers
(Copyright (c) 2016 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)