Meet Becca and Heidi

As part of the NICU transport team, Becca and Heidi provide care to the tiniest patients at both the Walter C. Mackenzie and Royal Alexandra Hospital Stollery sites. When they receive a call to go out on transport, both a respiratory therapist and RN are needed to provide care and transport sick babies to the higher care they need at the Stollery.

In Becca’s free time, she loves to be at home with her husband and cat, spend time outdoors, visit with friends and travel to new countries. For Heidi, when she isn’t busy with her grandchildren, she fills her spare time doing all types of crafts from knitting to card-making.

Let’s find out more about Becca and Heidi:

What do you like most about your job?

B: I love working in such a diverse team of health-care providers who all work together to care for babies and their families. I’m grateful to be be able to provide care to families in such a difficult and vulnerable time in their lives, and I really like being able to connect with parents and provide any comfort we can.
H: The ability to make a difference on the outcome of the baby. To provide care that otherwise would not be available and provide support and reassurance to the family.

Do you have a standout Stollery memory?

B: I’m so inspired by any and all premature babies on our unit! So much strength and resilience in such a small package.
H: When I first started on the team, I was called to a remote town to pick up a very small premature baby. I remember telling the mother that she had a long road ahead and that her baby was very ill. That child is now 11 years old, and I receive yearly updates on her birthday. It humbled me because this was a baby that, had we not been available, would not have survived

Have donor funds directly impacted the area you work in?

B: Yes! Donor funds have provided us with important equipment we need to be able to care for these babies.
H: Yes, updated transport equipment has been donated by the Stollery foundation. We are currently designing a new transport isolette that the Foundation is sponsoring.

Do you have a favourite Stollery event?

B: My favourite Stollery event is Dairy Queen’s Miracle Treat Day! A wonderful excuse to indulge in ice cream.
H: World Premature Day. This is a day where previous NICU graduates come and celebrate together. Once a baby is discharged, we do not have contact with them again. This day allows us to visit with the parents and see how well their baby is doing.

What is your favourite kid’s book?

B: My favourite children’s book is the Sesame Street book called The Monster at the End of this Book.
H: Charlotte’s Web.

Do you have a favourite Disney Princess or superhero?

B: My favourite Disney princess is Moana because of her sense of adventure, love of animals and some of my favourite Disney songs!
H: Every transport team member is like a Wonder Woman or Superman. We face dangerous situations on a daily basis, and at the end of the day we hang up our cape and go home.