Clients and families are at the heart of everything we do

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Partnerships in creating possibilities

It has been nearly 20 years since Lies Ferriman’s son, Sasha, was admitted to the hospital’s brain injury rehabilitation team (BIRT) unit following a devastating snowboarding accident that left the then 15-year-old with an acquired brain injury.

Today, Sasha, 33, is a proud husband, father and occupational therapy assistant. It’s a career choice, that was motivated in part by the wonderful care he received from a team of physiotherapists and occupational therapists during his time at Holland Bloorview many years ago, says Ferriman, his mother.

Left: Lies and Sasha, BLOOM Magazine, 2007. Right: Lies and Sasha today, 2024.

Ferriman remains equally inspired by the time her family spent at the hospital. In fact, on most Tuesday afternoons you will find her walking through the hospital’s 67-bed inpatient unit where, as a family leader and long-time volunteer, she offers support to other families and clients who are going through similar experiences.

“I consider myself an advocate for the parents and families of children who have experienced acquired brain injury and other disabilities,” says Ferriman. “I understand and I have a different lens on what they’re going through. My advice to them is to have patience and hope and to do their best to adjust to a new normal. Celebrate those baby steps and remember it’s a journey.”

Ferriman’s long-time service and connection to the Holland Bloorview family is emblematic of the special relationship the hospital has had with clients and families for nearly 125 years. “They’re at the heart of everything we do, and their voices, lived experiences and perspectives are woven into the very fabric of the hospital,” says Clara Ho, manager, client and family-centred care and partnerships. “From co-designing clinical services, informing research and procedures and bringing their lived experience into health care education, we see our clients and their families as partners in possibility.”

In fact, in 1969 the hospital’s very first Parents Association was formed, beginning the legacy of leadership by families and caregivers at the hospital. Today, there are more than 100 family leaders who volunteered more than 2,600 hours last year and sit on nearly 50 different committees.

Science and care meet love

Children pose next to a replica version of the “House of Happiness,” a nickname for the
“Home” coined by clients, 1943.

We’ve grown and changed (a lot!) since our earliest days in 1899 when the hospital was home to just 15 patients. At that time many came from as far away as Montreal to live at the “Home for Incurable Children” and some were under public guardianship. Separated from their communities, these children were encouraged to think of themselves as a family, relying on staff, volunteers and each other for kinship, love and affection. Fast forward 125 years, families and caregivers now play an integral role in each client’s rehabilitation ourney alongside a team of dedicated and caring clinicians and staff.

Although a lot has changed in 125 years (including much shorter length of stays for inpatients – under 45 days!), what remains the same is that many of our clients still describe a “happy” feeling throughout the space, a “home away from home” or “almost like a second family.” It’s even been described as “the place where science and care meet love.”

Today, we are proud to serve more than 9,500 inpatient and outpatient clients each year, ranging from infants all the way to 18. Collectively, the children and youth we see have many diagnoses including acquired brain injury, cerebral palsy, orthopedic disorders, autism spectrum disorder and other developmental differences. Nine of the top 10 communities we serve are among the fastest growing in terms of first-generation immigrants and the top languages spoken by these families (excluding English) are Mandarin, Spanish, Arabic and Tamil.

Co-designing care with clients

Client and families are our teachers. We are constantly learning from, and co-creating with, them on our ongoing journey to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible environment that treats all individuals with respect and fairness.

One example? The introduction of a recent smudging policy for Indigenous clients, families and staff that will enable the practice of smudging— a traditional ceremony that involves the burning of one or more of the four sacred medicines: sage, cedar, sweet grass and tobacco—at the hospital. Next spring, the hospital plans to plant a sacred garden onsite to create a special place where the Holland Bloorview community can come together to grow and harvest the medicines for smudging bundles, creating a year-round, sustainable supply.

“Holland Bloorview is unique in that many families and clients we serve consider it a ‘home away from home.’ Many also remain closely connected to the hospital throughout their child’s life,” says Lorraine Thomas, manager, inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and anti-racism.

“Understanding that culture is a key determinant of health, an inclusive hospital environment that involves co-designing care with clients and families and recognizing the practice of a smudging ceremony aligns with our strategic priority to advance care that’s agile and socially accountable.”

Will’s story: a lifelong relationship

Left: Goessaert age 10, 2004, Middle: Goessaert skiing, age 12, 2006 Right: Goessaert at work, 2024.

Will Goessaert was only three years old when he first came to Holland Bloorview to receive his very first prosthesis for a left leg congenital amputation. He credits his prosthesis, and the incredible team at the hospital who made it for him, for enabling him to live the active life he loved: skiing, hockey, running and football, among others. As he grew, he returned to the hospital every year or so to receive a new prosthesis. He also got involved in research studies to help test a new prosthetic knee designed to prevent falls.

Goessaert originally considered being a nurse or paramedic. But when he had to find a high-school co-op job his prosthetist asked him a question that changed his life: “Why don’t you come work here?”

The rest, they say, is history. Goessaert now works as a prosthetics and orthotics technician making devices for clients at Holland Bloorview. It’s a full circle moment for the recently-married 34-year-old who also met his wife Elizabeth at the hospital.

“The most fun is when a child comes to us and wants to achieve something—whether it’s run or play a sport or an instrument—and we can give them a device that helps them out with that,” he says. “As a child, having a well-fitting leg meant I was able to run around in comfort, and that was a huge deal for me,” says Goessaert.

Goessaert adds “It’s really come full circle and it’s very rewarding to be working in the same place that has supported me all these years. I take my lived experience and bring it to my job every day.”

We are family

What is it about this place that invites a long-term relationship, that inspires clients and families to keep coming back? Is it the way we embed family and client voices into everything we do? Is it how we continue to strive for culturally-relevant and inclusive practices that create an environment of belonging and safety? Or is it something harder to name: perhaps a feeling that comes when you move through the halls that you are part of something bigger, that you are not alone, surrounded by care and community. You are home. You are family.

Are you part of the Holland Bloorview family? Tag us in your photo at @HBKidsHospital or email to 125@hollandbloorview.ca.