A remarkable family’s determination to bring comfort to others following their own devastating loss is helping overwhelmed parents in Netcare’s neonatal and other intensive care units to connect with their babies through the gift of purposeful reading.
Archie’s Archives is an initiative founded by the Hein family that provides parents whose babies and toddlers are admitted for intensive care, with a pack of books that have been lovingly selected and donated by volunteers, for them to read to their little ones and to take home.
“Research shows that the sound of a parent’s voice is not only very reassuring to a baby but has enormous cognitive benefits. Archie’s Archives is a tangible way of ensuring that families are empowered to contribute to the care that their babies receive while hospitalised,” says Verena Bolton, a neonatal nurse and national coordinator of Netcare Ncelisa human milk banks.
| Through books Richard and Tiffini Hein felt they could step into their own little world with their son Archie, who was diagnosed with neonatal Marfan syndrome – a rare connective tissue disorder which tragically resulted in the loss of his life within a matter of months. Here Richard Hein is pictured reading to Archie. |
| Archie’s Archives is an initiative founded by the Hein family that provides parents whose babies and toddlers are admitted for intensive care with a pack of books that have been lovingly selected and donated by volunteers, for them to read to their little ones and to take home. |
“It was therefore with open arms that Netcare embraced the offer that was so generously made by the Hein family to install Archie’s Archives in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and cardiothoracic intensive care units (CTICUs) in our hospitals. These standalone archives are cleverly designed to maintain the strictest hygiene standards and do not act as a shared library but rather a stock of pre-packed, sealed bundles of gifted books to help encourage parents to read to their little ones, enhancing connection and bonding during this time.”
Tiffini Hein, co-founder of Archie’s Archives, explains that the initiative was born out of her and her husband Richard’s experience with their baby boy, Archie, who was diagnosed with neonatal Marfan syndrome – a rare connective tissue disorder which tragically resulted in the loss of his life within a matter of months.
“Archie was born on 16 August 2022 at 37 weeks. As an already experienced mother of five children – two of whom are biological – I could immediately sense by the energy in the delivery room that something was not quite right. He was taken straight to the NICU, where intensive investigations into what could be impacting his health started.
“On the ninth day, Archie was transferred to Netcare Sunninghill Hospital where there is a dedicated paediatric cardiothoracic intensive care unit (ICU) and two days later his CT scan revealed a dissection in his aorta – nothing more could be done.”
Tiffini notes that at this point they had as yet been unable to even hold their son because of his fragile condition, and they spent the next two days crying next to Archie’s cot.
| Pictured left to right with the recently delivered Archie’s Archive in the neonatal intensive care unit at Netcare Linkwood Hospital are enrolled nurse Samu Zulu, enrolled nursing assistant Nobuhle Duma, unit manager Sue Harvey and registered nurse Gabisile Mkhwanazi. |
| Reading to their baby can give parents a sense of purpose during a challenging time, while hearing their mom and dad’s voices is reassuring for babies who are admitted to hospital. Furthermore, research indicates that by listening to their parents’ voices babies display more stable breathing and heart rates, as well as better feeding and growth. |
“We were in the grips of grief when Richard said that enough was enough – we could not allow Archie’s experience of the world to be two sad people in a hospital, so to pull ourselves out of it we began reading to Archie. Through the books we could step into our own little world inside that ICU, and it provided us with enormous comfort. It was a wonderful bonding experience and a great distraction from the stressors around us,” she says.
Bolton notes that the NICU setting can be overwhelming for parents who are not able to participate in the care of their baby as they normally would and that reading is a powerful way to connect.
“Reading to their baby can give parents a sense of purpose in this challenging time while for babies, hearing their mom and dad’s voices is reassuring. Furthermore, research indicates that by listening to their parents’ voices babies display more stable breathing and heart rates, as well as better feeding and growth.
“Providing babies with language nutrition – which essentially refers to feeding a baby’s growing brain through language exposure – is also strongly associated with better neurodevelopmental outcomes and future literacy. The earlier a newborn is exposed to reading, the greater the benefit,” says Bolton.
Archie’s legacy
As a large foster family and founders of the Maletsatsi Foundation, the Heins had taken in and parented over 100 newborns with nowhere else to go, helping many biological families in difficult circumstances to get back on their feet while other babies have gone on to be adopted and find new homes.
During this time, the couple had cared for several newborns with cardiac conditions and had taken in babies who needed palliative care, nursing them to the end of life.
“It’s strange how things turn out. We could never have known it, but all that experience prepared us for what we would one day go through with Archie. We wanted to take him home as soon as possible and let him live out his life, however long or short, in peace among his family. The team at Netcare Sunninghill Hospital was incredible and rallied around us to help make that happen.
“The reading continued when we got home and was an ongoing source of comfort and connection between us. Weeks went by and Archie just kept going until eventually, at the age of three months, he passed on – it was utterly peaceful, as if the Universe had stopped for that moment.
“At his funeral, we asked people to bring books instead of flowers. It is our great wish that out of this enormous loss we could create something special for the many other parents who were struggling with little ones in a neonatal ICU.
“Some months later, Netcare Sunninghill Hospital welcomed the pilot project for Archie’s Archives, with one placed in the NICU and one in the cardiothoracic unit. Off the back of this, five other Netcare hospitals have received units, and requests are continuing to come in for more, which we are working on the funding to provide. We have been overwhelmed by the heart of Netcare and we have experienced a rather phenomenal ethos and positive reception to the initiative,” she notes.
Bolton concluded by thanking the Heins for their inspirational contribution to families in Netcare NICUs and other intensive care units. “Through family centred care initiatives such as this, parents can become more involved and empowered in the care of their babies, and we at Netcare are actively supporting that aim wherever possible.”
Ends
For more information about how to contribute to Archie’s Archives, please contact Tiffini Hein at [email protected].
Parcels of donated books can be sent to:
Archie’s Archive
Postnet Suite #16
Private Bag X16
Highveld Park
0169
You can also drop off at an Archie’s Archives collection point:
Gauteng – Sandton: The Children's Therapy Centre
Western Cape – Durbanville: The Wonder Years Pre School
For those who wish to buy new, deliveries can be made as follows:
Takealot purchases can be sent directly to the Takealot Pickup Point Midrand (Big Bird Petroport, N1 Bridge Southbound), marked for Archie's Archive (notifications can please be sent to Tiffini on +27713521457)
Reader's Warehouse deliveries can please be sent directly to PostNet Greyowl, Shop 16 Grey Owl Shopping Centre, Brakfontein Road, Louwardia Centurion, 1683. Please mark for the attention of Tiffini Hein (+27713521457).
Exclusive Books deliveries can also be sent directly to PostNet Greyowl, Shop 16 Grey Owl Shopping Centre, Brakfontein Road, Louwardia Centurion, 1683. Please mark for the attention of Tiffini Hein (+27713521457).
Cash donations for Archie’s Archives can be made to:
FNB 62865881314
Cheque Account
Branch Code: 210835
Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ
Notes to editor
Looking for a medical appointment? Netcare appointmed™ will make appointments for YOU with specialists practising at Netcare hospitals, GPs and dentists at Medicross medical and dental centres, and specialists at Akeso mental health facilities. Simply request an appointment online at www.netcare.co.za/Request-a-medical-appointment or phone Netcare appointmed™ on 0860 555 565, Mondays to Fridays between 08:00 and 17:00.
To find out more about the services offered through Netcare hospitals and other of the Group’s facilities, please visit www.netcare.co.za or contact the Netcare customer service centre either by email at [email protected] or phone 0860 NETCARE (0860 638 2273). Note that the centre operates Mondays to Fridays from 08:00 to 16:00.
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