When a Hospital Stay Affects the Whole Family: Jerimaya’s Story

Jerimaya may be little, but he has already been through more hospital stays than most of us will experience in a lifetime.

Born at just 31 weeks alongside his twin sister, Jerimaya spent the first 7½ weeks of his life in the NICU. Since then, he has been hospitalized four more times while living with cystic fibrosis.

His most recent hospitalization meant another 15 days at Children’s Health Dallas, more than three hours from his family’s home. For a family with four children, an extended hospital stay like this affects so much more than medical care. One parent had to miss work to be with Jerimaya, while the family's everyday expenses continued at home.

That is exactly why Claire created the Extended Hospital Stay Grant Program.

When Haley applied to Claire’s Place for help with one month of rent, she shared how quickly the costs associated with caring for a child with CF can ripple through a family's finances.

“Although I am employed, the costs of his daily treatments, frequent medical appointments, and a recent hospitalization have caused us to fall behind on other household bills, and I am working hard to prevent falling behind on our rent.”

Haley requested funds for rental assistance, giving her family a little breathing room while she continued working and caring for Jerimaya.

But it was something else Haley wrote that really stayed with us:

“As a parent of a child with cystic fibrosis, I know how much it means to have people who understand what our families go through. Programs like this show that we're not expected to face every challenge on our own.”

She continued:

“They provide support when families need it most and help make an incredibly difficult journey feel a little less overwhelming.”

That is what Claire’s Place has always been about.

We can't take away the hospital stays. We can't make the daily treatments disappear. But we can make sure families like Jerimaya's know that when life becomes overwhelming, there is a community standing beside them.

And looking at these beautiful photos of Jerimaya and his twin sister today, we're reminded exactly why that matters.

Help Us Be There for the Next Family

Families like Jerimaya’s shouldn’t have to worry about keeping a roof over their heads while caring for a child in the hospital.

Your gift, at any amount, helps remind a family facing an extended hospital stay that they don’t have to face it alone.

Help us be there for the next family who needs us.

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