Twenty-four years after being in the RNSH Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as a newborn, medical student Zoe Thompson has found herself back in NICU again.

This time not as a patient but as a trainee doctor on rotation in the NICU at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre as part of her medical degree at the University of Toronto. 

Zoe was born in 1998 at 33 weeks old and was diagnosed with Infant Respiratory Distress Syndrome shortly after birth.

Zoe received care at the RNSH NICU for over a month before returning home.

In the midst of what is a difficult experience for any parent, Zoe’s mother Sarah Verne said the care Zoe received during their stay was second to none.

“We had wonderful care during her stay in the NICU and some very much appreciated parenting and baby care ‘lessons’ as Zoe was our first born,” she said.

“We were so grateful for everything the unit did and attended the Christmas reunion parties for a couple of years afterwards.”

Zoe said the stories her mum told her about the NICU inspired her to work with families in a similar position.

“My mum always told stories of what it was like in the NICU and I’ve always been curious about what it would be like to support families from the other end,” she said.

“I’ve also volunteered in the SickKids NICU in Toronto and loved the environment.”
 

Martin Kluckow was one of Zoe’s doctors when she was in the NICU and is still working there today.

Martin said stories like Zoe’s make treating babies in the NICU very rewarding.

“Hearing stories like Zoe’s is very uplifting for all of our staff members,” he said.

“Discovering that Zoe completed a rotation as a student in the NICU at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre gave the whole team a boost knowing that we did well in helping Zoe and her parents through those initial difficult days,” he said.

“Many of our dedicated staff who were working back when Zoe was born, are still saving babies almost 25 years later and our skills and equipment have rapidly improved allowing us to look after sicker babies often born more than four months early.”