Tilly

Matilda Jade, lovingly known as Tilly by her family and caregivers, is a bright-eyed little girl with an endless supply of love and snuggles to share. At just five weeks old, Tilly experienced an anoxic brain injury and has since been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, cortical visual impairment (CVI), a seizure disorder, and requires g/j tube feeding and a tracheostomy. Tilly has low muscle tone and is unable to sit unassisted, reach for objects, or independently control her head, but she finds great joy in spending time with her family and nurses. She especially loves being read to, standing in her stander, and going for walks in her wheelchair.

Adopted by her devoted family in June of 2023—after being with them since she was just 10 weeks old—Tilly is the youngest of eight children and is cherished by everyone who meets her. She delights in gazing at the stars from her projector, feeling the breeze on her face, enjoying showers, and cuddling with her mom. Above all, Tilly loves being treated like the princess she truly is.

Tilly’s mom shares, “Matilda is an exceptional girl who has defied all odds—even graduating from hospice. We strive to make every day her best day and are grateful that her New Care nurses do the same.”

Cassie

Cassie was born prematurely at 32 weeks on July 20, 2020, with non-immune hydrops fetalis. At birth, she required immediate thoracentesis and high-frequency mechanical ventilation and was transferred from Swedish First Hill to Seattle Children’s Center for ongoing specialized care. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to extubate, Cassie received a tracheostomy at five months old. During her recovery, she developed necrotizing enterocolitis, resulting in the loss of 75% of her small intestine and a diagnosis of short bowel syndrome. She relied on ventilator support and total parenteral nutrition (TPN) around the clock and was discharged home after an extraordinary 302-day hospital stay at just 10 months of age.

Since coming home, Cassie has made remarkable progress. She was successfully weaned off TPN in early 2022 and no longer requires ventilator support except during periods of illness. While ongoing challenges with secretions currently prevent decannulation, Cassie is thriving and enjoying life to the fullest as an active kindergartner.

With a vivid imagination and joyful spirit, Cassie loves pretend play and dressing up with her family, friends, and nurses. She enjoys dancing, listening to music, reading, and participating in drama club. Cassie embraces every moment and doesn’t let her medical journey define her—she’s busy having fun and being a kid.

Christopher

Chris is currently in his senior year of high school and will continue his education through an extended program with the Highline School District. As he transitions into adulthood, he is focused on building independence and preparing for the next steps in his future. Chris is excited about the opportunity to begin taking college classes over the next several years.

Outside of school, Chris is a big sports fan. He especially enjoys hockey and football and loves keeping up with his favorite Seattle teams.

Lucas

Lucas Hanson is a 16-year-old from South Seattle. He lives with a rare neuromuscular condition called myotubular myopathy (MTM), which makes his muscles weaker than most people’s—but it certainly hasn’t slowed down his creativity. Lucas is an accomplished young writer who shares his work on his own creative writing website, Handsome Boy Writes. In addition to writing, Lucas co-hosts a radio show with his dad called Sonic Boom, where they explore the history of Seattle’s music scene on the station KVRU. And as you can see, he’s extremely handsome—hence the name of his blog.

Elionel

Elionel, who goes by El, is originally from Puerto Rico and has lived in the greater Seattle area since 1996. He lives with his family, including his parents, who are also his primary caregivers.

El is a quadriplegic and relies on mechanical ventilation via tracheostomy 24/7. While his medical care is an essential part of his daily life, living fully and meaningfully is just as important to him. El is able to direct his own care and values respect, autonomy, and collaboration from those who support him.

In his free time, El enjoys playing video games, watching anime, reading manga, exploring Japanese culture, following sports, listening to music, and collecting models, figures, and memorabilia. His music tastes range widely, with a special love for J-Pop and Urban Latin, and he enjoys watching both soccer and baseball.

El is seeking nurses who are interested in building genuine connections—people who can balance having fun, participating in activities, and engaging socially, while always maintaining a high standard of professional care. He spends time with friends and family both at home and out in the community, and he hopes to work with nurses who can be an active part of those experiences while remaining attentive, dependable, and focused on excellent care.

Todd

A married adult patient, Todd is business owner, public speaker and writer who has a customized home that they call “The Quadthedral.” He and his wife love to travel the country in their motorcoach sometimes being joined by their New Care nurse(s). Working together for over a decade, New Care is very familiar with Todd’s requirements, history, and the many aspects of his life that impact his nursing care. He has not been hospitalized since the start of his New Care relationship. He dedicates this to how New Care focuses holistically on him as a patient. Click here to learn more about Todd’s story.