A Journey From Surviving to Thriving: Fabiana Bacchini Speaks with UNICEF Ukraine

In June 2025, Fabiana Bacchini, Executive Director of the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation (CPBF), joined UNICEF Ukraine for a discussion on the impact of FiCare or her experience in the NICU.

During the talk, Fabiana shared her deeply personal story of having a premature baby and her time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). While in the NICU, she participated in a Family Integrated Care (FiCare) study—an experience that transformed her understanding of neonatal care. Through FiCare, Fabiana saw firsthand how involving parents as active members of their baby’s care team improves outcomes for both babies and families.

This experience ignited her commitment to advocating for hospitals that embrace the FiCare model. It also led her to CPBF, an organization dedicated to empowering families and supporting healthcare teams through this evidence-based approach.

Fabiana discussed the powerful results of the FiCare study and how CPBF has built its programs around its recommendations to strengthen parent support across Canada. She also reflected on where Canada stands today in neonatal care and follow-up, and the crucial role CPBF plays in bridging families, clinicians, and researchers.

In addition, Fabiana highlighted an ongoing Canadian study, CCENT (Coached, Coordinated, Enhanced, Neonatal Transition), which helps parents navigate the transition from the NICU to home during their baby’s first year of life.

Watch the full talk here: A Journey from Surviving to Thriving – UNICEF Ukraine