Michael Cosgrove Maison Du Petit Monde, Lyon France

The Maison du Petit Monde – ‘House for the World of the Little ones” – is a wonderful addition to Lyon’s largest hospital complex. Having a child in hospital can be a very traumatic affair for the family concerned. Added to this are the logistical and financial aspects of organising a stay in Lyon to be near the child, particularly if the family is not from Lyon or its immediate surrounding area. The Maison is situated at the entrance to the sprawling hospital complex and just a few hundred meters from the Children’s hospital, the Hôpital Mère Enfant Lyon.

Michael Cosgrove Reception area, Maison Du Petit Monde, Lyon France

A few years ago, whilst designing the hospital, the question of accommodation for the patients’ families was resolved by the decision to build a complex uniquely for them. The idea was then turned into a practical project by a group of Pediatricians in Lyon who thought it important that children knew their parents were near them. The result is the Maison du Petit Monde, which opened its doors last year. Vinciane Neyret is the Maison’s General Delegate. I went to visit her to talk about the Maison and its role.

Michael Cosgrove Vinciane Neyret, Maison Du Petit Monde, Lyon France

“The idea was based on the facilities available elsewhere in the world, notably in Canada and the United States. At the time the project started, accommodation facilities for families in hospitals was a rare thing, and where it did exist it was more of an improvised structure.” “The Maison is the biggest in France, but not the only one. There have been some improvements in the level of understanding that it’s important that the family be near the child.” She goes on to explain that the Maison gets a lot of enquiries on its web site, and that it also receives families who heard of them from hospital casualty or other departments. I was surprised to learn that people come here from all over France, as well as from Italy, Britain and even Russia. This is due to the hospital’s state-of-the-art equipment, Doctors and techniques. More, Vinciane explained proudly, “A hospital from Barcelona even sent ten people here recently, including an architect, to see how we work.” We then go on to talk about the Maison’s financing and future projects. First though, here’s a tour of the Maison, in the company of Sophie Séguin. She is Chargé de Mission for a project involving Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI.) Sophie also works for the Maison, and she showed me around the various facilities in the same way as she would a family. Here is a lounge and coffee room. It’s fitted with computers that are freely available to families so that they can keep on top of their daily obligations and interests using the internet. Wireless connection is also in place for laptops. The boy in the photo is here because his brother is in the hospital.

Michael Cosgrove Coffee room, Maison Du Petit Monde, Lyon France

There is a small gym too.

Michael Cosgrove Workout room, Maison Du Petit Monde, Lyon France

The cafeteria is a pivotal area of the Maison. People prepare their own meals here using modern multi-kitchen facilities.

Michael Cosgrove Cafeteria, Maison Du Petit Monde, Lyon France

Sophie explains that this area is crucial. The stoves and other work surfaces were designed to oblige people to prepare their meals face-to-face, that which encourages conversation. This is important because meeting other people keeps parents’ minds off their own problems for a while and this in turn makes the whole process of accompanying a child in hospital a little easier to bear. All the doors to all public access areas of the building are left open permanently. Again, to encourage meeting people and a communal approach. There are no TV’s in bedrooms and apartments either, for the same reason. There are communal TV rooms though, and a library. Here is one of the 42 studios in the Maison available to families. They offer a high standard of comfort and modenity.

Michael Cosgrove Bedroom, Maison Du Petit Monde, Lyon France

Sophie then takes me over to the hospital, where she shows me the project she is working on. We go into the Imaging service, which handles radiology, echography, scanners, mammography and MRI. An MRI is used in radiography to take tissue images of neurological, cardiovascular and cancer patients, amongst others. It involves putting the patient into a large tube-like structure where the scan is carried out. A scan typically lasts around three minutes, during which the machine emits a loud and aggressive buzzing sound. This can be an extremely distressing experience for children and their parents alike. Sophie ‘teaches’ child patients not to be scared of upcoming MRI’s, using a simulator. “It’s designed to get children used to the idea of an MRI. I call it ‘my rocket’ when I present it to them, although one small girl once said ‘that’s not a rocket, it’s a Princess’s Castle! It’s important that children accept the idea of doing an MRI calmly and without moving because that avoids having to use a general anaesthetic, which is much more harmful to them.” Different strokes for different kids, but here it is, Rocket or Castle.

Michael Cosgrove Scan simulator for children, Maison Du Petit Monde, Lyon France

“They lie down on the bench and I slide them into the tunnel. They may choose to look at a cartoon during the simulation or not. Then I turn on the noise of a scanner and the lighting that goes with it. A video camera in the tunnel records their reactions, and we are testing 450 children right now to see if they respond better to MRI’s after learning what they are like and what they can expect to experience.” On the way out we meet Professor Jean-Pierre Pracros, Head of pediatric and fœtal imaging in the hospital and President of the Maison. A very affable man, hands full of x-ray or scan prints. He explains that he has problems today with “some English equipment.” He has a humorous glint in his eye, and seems to be very much appreciated in the Maison. Back in Vinciane's office, I ask "So how is the Maison financed?" She gives me a very surprising answer; “Almost the whole thing is financed by company and other private sponsorship and donations.” Now that is extremely rare in France, a country which is notorious for not having embraced the idea of sponsorship or patronage in the public sphere until very recently, and, even then, timidly. “Our sponsors include banks like the Caisse d’Epargne, the APICIL Group, and many companies in the region around Lyon. We do get money from City Hall of course, and the Hospices Civiles too, but not much. This means we’re more independent.” This seems so unusual to me that I begin to wonder how the public authorities managed to adapt to patronage so quickly. I have a hunch about it and I ask Vinciane what she did before she worked at the Maison. And it all becomes clear. “I used to work in the marketing department for a large company.” “Oh, so it’s you who...” “Yes, part of my job is to persuade these companies to invest in the project, so I go and negotiate with them.” “ The future is looking good. We are already over 65% full, so this means that another facility will have to be opened in a few years from now.” The Maison is a wonderful meeting of the minds between children’s health care and the needs of their families, the French hospital Authorities and private businesses and subsidies. Their work and dedication are an innovation in France. And the families who find support and help during difficult times for their children and themselves are those who benefit from it. Long way they run over there at the Maison du Petit Monde.