At the heart of Carolina Caring’s mission is the Cardinal Kids Program, a beacon of hope and support for families navigating the complexities of treatment of serious childhood illnesses. This community-based health care initiative is dedicated to ensuring comfort and care through individualized health plans, bringing light to families during their darkest times.
Meet Asher, a spirited 10-year-old whose love for swimming, horseback riding, and playfully “harassing” his sisters paints a picture of his lively personality. Despite being nonverbal, Asher communicates volumes with his expressive gestures and infectious joy. For the past two years, Asher has been under the palliative care of Cardinal Kids, which offers an extra layer of support and care.
Five months before a crucial spinal surgery, Asher’s family found themselves at a crossroads. Initially apprehensive about palliative care due to its association with hospice, they felt unprepared to make informed decisions about Asher’s treatment. “We didn’t feel like we got enough time with specialists to thoroughly discuss the disease processes,” Asher’s mom, Valerie, recalls.
Their perspective changed when they met Dr. Brooke Hata, Cardinal Kids Medical Director. “We make a personal and intentional effort to understand a family by talking through goals and wishes so that we can guide them toward making the best medical decision for their child,” Dr. Hata explains. This personalized approach allowed Asher’s family to gain a holistic view of his care team and the comprehensive support available.
The decision to involve palliative care was pivotal. It provided essential symptom management while they weighed their surgical options. “Having palliative involved helped manage symptoms while we decided which way we wanted to go with the surgery,” says Valerie. The support from the medical team in decision-making, care coordination, and family support before, during, and after the surgery was invaluable.
Asher’s journey through surgery was marked by careful planning and coordination. Dr. Hata worked closely with Asher’s medical team to streamline care, ensuring all medical needs were met across disciplines. Despite experiencing post-operative complications, Cardinal Kids provided crucial follow-up care at home, helping the family navigate these challenges. “The beauty of having palliative care is that it brings a holistic approach to looking at all disciplines at once to help families navigate the big picture in making medical decisions that will impact the rest of his life,” Valerie shares.
Reflecting on their journey, Valerie emphasizes the transformative impact of Cardinal Kids: “Realizing you have a care provider coming into your home is a game-changer. Cardinal Kids plants seeds to help families process and gives parents permission to talk about things which are otherwise left unsaid. As a result of Cardinal Kids services, we decided to go through with the spinal fusion surgery and, almost a year later, Asher is back to doing the things he enjoys.”
Carolina Caring’s Cardinal Kids Program stands as a testament to the power of compassionate care. It provides palliative and hospice care, patient and family support, and spiritual comfort across a multi-county region. Most of the care takes place directly in children’s homes, though the program also serves patients and families in hospital settings. The clinicians work closely with the child, their physicians, and the family to manage physical symptoms and address social, emotional, and spiritual needs.
