In your darkest hour, Cyrilene is the light at the end of the phone!

Making the first call about your fertility issues can be daunting. You may even have put off this phone call for as long as possible… hoping that you will fall pregnant and never have to make ‘that’ call.

Infertility patients have a lot going on in their head. They have a ton of questions and don’t know where to get help. They don’t know which questions are genuine, which are founded on fear and which ones might seem ridiculous when they actually make ‘that’ call to ask for help.

When patients call our team at Barbados Fertility Centre (BFC), the first voice that greets them is Cyrilene Austrie, our head receptionist. Cyrilene has been with us for an amazing 18 years, supporting Dr. Juliet Skinner since 1999 and being the front woman and face of BFC since we opened as a full time IVF clinic 15 years ago!

Cyrilene runs our front desk with a sublime efficiency and supreme confidence that comes from 18 years of experience. We asked her a few questions so you can get to know her a little more:

How do you make our patients feel so at ease?

“My aim, from the first telephone call to the Clinic, is to make patients feel at ease and that they have made the right choice by contacting BFC.

All our patients are very special to us and from the time they walk through the door they are welcomed warmly.  I  do my part to make them as relaxed as possible.

Having gone through fertility treatment myself in the UK for a number of years and having had experience with three Clinics there where I felt like a number rather than a patient,  I always let our patients know how special they are to us.  Patients are treated like family here at  BFC.  By their second visit we know who you are when you walk through the door.

We also give our patients information on places to visit and things to do whilst on the island so that they also enjoy a vacation as well as undergoing their treatment.”

 

Do you find that the patients are very nervous when they call you?

“Yes, quite a number of them are.  You can also tell that they are also stressed.  I always try to calm them and let them know that we are here for them.”

 

What would you say to your friends and family or even strangers who might be struggling to get pregnant?

“Please, please contact BFC –  we are here to help you achieve a family.  It works – I can testify to that from the thousands of couples that we have helped to become parents over the past 15 years.

Contact the Clinic sooner rather than later – the earlier you start your treatment the higher your chances of success are.

I have 6  friends who came to the Clinic and were successful – between them I am now an Auntie to seven little ones.  It is such a joy and a wonderful feeling every time I see them and their children.  I am always proud to see them because I know that I have played a small part in their happiness by encouraging them to make that first appointment.  Their conversations are now always about their children and how they are doing – just imagine if they did not contact us.”

 

What is the best part of working with BFC?

“Being there for patients from the first telephone call.  Meeting and greeting patients when they visit the Clinic.  Encouraging them at every visit.

IVF is very stressful and I know from experience that it is something that most couples keep to themselves.  It is also good to be that listening ear when they want to talk about their fears and worries.  Also encouraging them at each and every visit.

Without a doubt when I see the photographs of our new babies and when parents visit us both from here and abroad with their little bundles of joy – it always makes my day.”

 

Time and time again the feedback that we get from our patients is that from the moment they contacted us, they knew that they had found the right clinic for treatment. This is a major attribute to Cyrilene’s empathy and understanding for each and every patient that she greets.

From our patient feedback forms, we’ve pulled out some of the quotes about their dealings with Cyrilene. They say:

“Exuberant welcoming nature – a true gem!”

“Warm”

“Cyrilene’s hugs helped us through a very difficult time.”

“Welcoming”

“Friendly”

“Helpful”

“Kind”

“Encouraging”

 

We feel truly blessed to have all those qualities in our head receptionist and hope that you will too. So make ‘that’ call, you have nothing to fear but Cyrilene’s hugs!