After 35 years of unwavering love, laughter, and care, our beloved Barbara McFarlane is retiring—and we’re finding it hard to put into words just how much she has meant to the Sunshine family.
When Barbara first began working at Sunshine back in 1990, she started in the Infant Unit and quickly realized that her “work” at Sunshine would become more than a job to her. To Barbara, the children were never defined by their diagnoses or limitations. “I never thought of the kids as being sick, I just saw them as normal kids to love,” she said. “Who are we to say what the perfect human is?”
That simple, yet profound, mindset has guided her through every shift at Sunshine. Whether working with infants or older children, her approach has remained the same: love deeply, communicate honestly, and care as if each child were your own.
“You have to provide the children with special care, but still talk to them like a healthy child,” she says.
Throughout her decades at Sunshine, Barbara has made countless memories—some funny, some moving, all unforgettable. She fondly remembers how one of the boys would get jealous if she cared for another child first. Another called out for her all morning when she wasn’t working that day. Many affectionately called her “Baba”—a name that will forever echo in our halls and hearts.
“It makes my entire day when they say Baba,” she laughed. “It teaches you something: even if a child doesn’t have two legs or two feet, it doesn’t make them any less.”
It’s those quiet, beautiful moments—seeing a child smile, hearing them say her name, watching them grow beyond any expectation—that Barbara will carry with her into retirement. “Sunshine is a ‘chosen place,’” she says. “You should consider yourself blessed to work here. The children make an impact on your life. I can still name them all.”
Barbara was introduced to Sunshine by her friend Rita, a fellow CNA schoolmate, who encouraged her to apply—and then her special journey at Sunshine began. She said that she will always remember the Friedman twins, a little girl whose smile lit up the room, and countless other children who left their mark on her soul. “There was a baby they said wouldn’t make it more than three weeks. She lived for over three years,” she recalls. “That’s the reward. That’s the joy.”
To new CNA’s who are just starting their journey, Barbara shares her timeless advice: “Think of the children as normal kids—with no disabilities. Communicate with them. Ask them how they’re doing. Don’t talk around them. Talk to them.”
Barbara’s exceptional kindness, compassion, and respect for others have shaped her legacy and earned her the deep affection of every child and coworker she has encountered.
Outside of Sunshine, Barbara delights in spending time with her grandchildren and grandnephews. She finds joy in her birds and fish. And while retirement may bring new rhythms, Sunshine will always be a part of her.
“I still plan to go back and visit,” she promises. “Just to hear the children call me Baba again.”
Barbara, your years of service have touched the lives of countless children and families at Sunshine. You have shared your beautiful heart, humor, and humanity in everything you do. Sunshine won’t be the same without you, but your legacy will live on in every smile, every laugh, and every child you have encountered here.
