Watch & Listen

My Bubbie & The Police

This is a story about the power of words and stories to make a difference. In storycare, we often listen for a word or two that can give us a clue about the identity and history of a patient. As my bubbie demonstrates, knowing the right thing to say at the right moment can change everything.

Recorded at Words Aloud festival, Durham, Ontario 2009.

I AM Jacob Zavitz!

Part of storycare is paying attention to the person beyond the label or diagnosis — listening to the story of who they are. This speech by Jacob Yashinsky-Zavitz, given at a fundraiser for Prader-Willi Syndrome research, is an extraordinary reminder of the importance of knowing and valuing each others’ stories. He speaks as an advocate on behalf of people living with Prader-Willi Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes hyperphagia (unrelenting hunger) and a host of other physical and emotional issues. In this speech he reminds us that a human being is far more than their disability, and that it’s essential for people in society — including in healthcare – to take the time to get to know each others’ stories. He challenges us to open our communication bandwidth, to welcome difference rather than build walls and categories around those who are different. It is relevant for anyone living with or working with someone with a disability, and a good example of how important it is to tell and listen to each other’s stories. He was the son of Dan Yashinsky and Carol Zavitz. He died at the age of twenty-six in a car accident, only a few weeks after giving this remarkable talk. He will be forever missed.

Talking You In

Dan Yashinsky and composer/musician Brian Katz created a storytelling piece called Talking You In, which they have toured to hospitals and festivals around the world. It is about the value of bringing stories into the NICU environment, as parents and staff try to humanize the often-terrifying world of critical care. Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children now publishes a booklet called It Was Midnight On The Ocean — The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Book of Rhymes and Stories. The booklet was inspired by the stories and experiences of parents going through the NICU, and edited by renowned Canadian children’s author Celia Barker Lottridge.