Rhyann with her son Westley
Rhyann was experiencing homelessness when she found out she was pregnant. She found help at My Baby and Me, a clinic at St. Michael’s Hospital. Today, Rhyann has a healthy son, Westley, a home and aspirations for the future.
“I wouldn’t be who and where I am today if it wasn't for St. Michael’s and this program. Truly, this hospital restores and changes lives, and it keeps families together,” says Rhyann.
My Baby and Me is a unique service for moms-to-be dealing with poverty, homelessness, substance use and discrimination. The dedicated team provides seamless, non-judgmental, unconditional support for women during pregnancy—and afterwards as well.
Open every Monday, the drop-in clinic at 61 Queen Street East offers prenatal to postpartum care, addictions support, referrals to community services and housing, something to eat and a warm welcome.
The program recently got a big boost with a gift from the Krawczyk Family Foundation. Their new gift will help expand the program and keep it going for the next five years, providing life-changing care to more women when they need it most.
“It means a lot to have the support of our community to continue our work and help our patients have healthy pregnancies,” says Jasmine Saleh, a social worker with My Baby and Me.
Rhyann speaks glowingly of how Jasmine and the team of obstetricians and substance use specialists helped her in her recovery and supported her to reach her goals of stable housing and parenting her newborn. Next, she’s planning to go back to school and work toward her dream of becoming a doctor.
Jasmine Saleh (Social Worker), Dr Nirmala Chandrasekaran (Obstetrician) and Dr. Erin Lurie (Family Physician)
To learn more about My Baby and Me and how you can support this life-changing program, contact Andrew Longwell at LongwellA@smh.ca.
Donate to St. Michael's Foundation.
