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In October 2020, as eight-year-old Tabitha was about to leave for school, she took one step off the porch and began screaming that her back hurt. Her mom Christie was immediately alarmed: Tabitha had faced a misdiagnosis of leukemia, hip dysplasia, and corrective surgery when she was a preschooler – a traumatic experience for the young family. Not willing to take any chances, Christie took Tabitha to see a specialist for X-rays and six weeks of physical therapy. “We didn’t even make it that six weeks,” Christie remembers.

Energetic and bubbly, Tabitha was a natural performer and pageant devotee. “But she was just so miserable,” her mom recalls. So miserable, in fact, that Tabitha decided she wouldn’t be able to sing the national anthem at an upcoming football game as planned. “That’s how I knew she was really sick,” Christie says. Despite her flagging energy and malaise, Wyoming schools required that Tabitha be present for attendance, even though it meant that Christie would simply sit and wait for the inevitable call to pick up Tabitha when she felt too ill to continue. One particular teacher didn’t even believe she was in pain. “I knew it wasn’t right,” Christie says. “But we were being told we were drama queens.”

Then, on December 1st, Christie received a phone call from school about Tabitha looking ill: “Has anyone checked this out?” It was the confirmation Christie had been waiting for; she immediately took her daughter to the emergency room.

The family hasn’t been home since.

A flurry of testing quickly revealed that Tabitha had acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. When she heard the news, Christie was in disbelief: “‘You’re wrong,’” she remembers saying. “‘You got it wrong then. I’ve already done this,’” referring to the misdiagnosis years earlier. But the medical team assured her, this time, the diagnosis was accurate.

Hospitalized at the height of COVID, Tabitha soon contracted the respiratory illness. Her fragile condition and new ALL diagnosis meant she needed to be transferred to Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children immediately and alone, without Christie. Being separated during this tough moment was incredibly hard on the mother-daughter duo. “It was awful,” Christie remembers. “I felt so powerless. I couldn’t do anything for my kid.” But while medical facilities in small or rural cities might occasionally encounter similar diagnoses, Tabitha desperately needed the longstanding expertise of a world-class medical facility. It was terrifying, but the transport would put Christie’s daughter in the most capable hands, with a medical care team in possession of greater resources and experience than they could find in their home state.

Despite beginning to feel sick herself, Christie grabbed a few changes of clothing, jumped in her car and began driving, arriving in Denver early the next morning. When doctors determined Christie was also suffering from COVID, they reunited the relieved pair in quarantine. The restrictions, however, posed another source of difficulty: Christie’s three-year-old son, Carson, was unable to visit. He had never been away from his mom for so long. Just like that, in less than sixty days, everything about the family's life had changed.

Tabitha’s leukemia treatment began promptly, with chemo sessions she had to attend alone, due to Christie’s own sickness. “That was terrifying for her,” Christie recalls. Before each procedure, the pair would put on matching jewelry and socks, “so she would know I was still there.”

After nearly a month in the hospital, Tabitha had improved enough to be discharged in time for Christmas. Her social worker, Erica, said, “I have a place for you. Brent’s Place.” Christie remembers being shocked. “Before I could panic about where we would stay, they had figured it out.”

On December 23rd, the family of three finally reunited at Brent’s Place. With the holiday just days away, Christie was surprised to find gifts outside the door for both children. “It was so incredible. I was totally overwhelmed, even having to wrap presents was too much. But it was just taken care of.” In partnership with Jason's Friends, a Wyoming-based nonprofit focused on supporting families facing childhood cancer, Christie could breathe another sigh of relief knowing that their Brent's Place stay, no matter how long, would not impact the family’s finances.

As the family settled into their new home, Christie discovered that consideration extended to even the smallest of everyday details like dishes, coffee, and coffee filters. The scope of programming at Brent’s Place gave her the first glimmer of confidence that they could get through this hurdle. Tabitha’s treatments continued, her health improved, and the family began to process the life-altering circumstances they found themselves in. Christie in particular was struggling to find her footing, angry that her child was sick. Her experiences as a single parent navigating pediatric cancer were underscored by her distrust of a medical system that had misdiagnosed her daughter and caused lasting trauma.

But the supportive Brent’s Place community rallied around her family, providing activities and crafts for the kids, meal support several days a week, and assistance accessing much-needed supplemental resources. Christie began to see things from a new perspective. After talking with other resident families experiencing similar circumstances, she harnessed her anger into a new attitude of proactivity.

The family leaned in, experiencing and appreciating the impact of what makes Brent’s Place a refuge for so many. The trio became familiar faces in the halls, courtyard, and common spaces. Tabitha blossomed despite tough circumstances as her health improved, taking music lessons and building friendships with other kids like herself. “It’s made such a difference,” Christie observes. “Tabitha doesn’t feel she’s alone… because she’s not. She’s been able to be her most authentic self here at Brent’s Place.”

With Tabitha’s health now stable, her family is looking ahead to what comes after Brent’s Place. Finding an apartment is first on the to-do list, an exciting prospect for everyone. “It’s not just a tunnel anymore,” Christie says of their journey, “there’s a light at the end of it. Even with cancer, we got out of a really bad place . . . and that’s because of Brent’s Place.”

Are you ready to help families like Tabitha's find hope and healing?

When a typical toddler bedtime battle progressed into persistent complaints of nighttime leg pain, two-year-old Logan’s parents knew it was time for another visit to the doctor. A trip to the pediatrician in January of 2021 had assured them that there was nothing to worry about and that Logan’s discomfort would soon resolve, but the pain had only grown worse. It was time to take him to the emergency room.

"We knew it was something serious but didn’t know how serious,” his mom, Monica, remembers.

After hours of waiting, scans, tests, and a preliminary diagnosis of leukemia, a biopsy revealed their biggest fear: Logan had neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer often found in the small glands on top of the kidneys.

“Parents say, ‘Oh I can’t imagine dealing with that,’” Monica says, “but then it happens to you and you’re forced to deal with it – you just have to.”

A self-proclaimed “what-if” person, Monica was grateful for the steadfast support of her partner as they dealt with this life-altering news together. “Jonathan said, ‘We have to go day by day and think positively about it.’ He’s kept me sane.”

The strength of their relationship and their physician’s quickly-delivered treatment plan carried them through those frightening early days. A grueling course of chemotherapy began within the week in his New Mexico hometown, but the family knew that this was only the first step. Logan’s parents continued to lean on one another as they prepared for what came next: a months-long relocation to Colorado for their son’s life-saving bone marrow transplant at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

The family had to say goodbye to the comfort and familiarity of their own community in mid-July, but they did so knowing they would never be without support in Denver, more than 450 miles to the north: their social worker had already referred them to Brent’s Place. Logan’s parents were deeply relieved to learn that housing would be available to them immediately upon arrival, regardless of their financial situation.

After settling into their Safe-Clean apartment just prior to Logan’s transplant, Monica and Jonathan spent the next several months alternating between nights at his hospital bedside and their fully-furnished oasis at Brent’s Place. “It was really hard,” Monica says, remembering long hours spent at the hospital. “You need a mental break.” Hot meals, a private space in which to recharge, and an attentive staff team at Brent’s Place made all the difference for Jonathan and Monica while they were at their most weary and anxious.

On August 3rd, Logan received his first bone marrow transplant. “He did really well,” Monica says, laughing when she remembered the way her unstoppable son bustled around the hospital room after the procedure. “He was still running around and full of energy!” Logan’s second transplant in late September was more challenging, especially with the added complication of a bacterial infection that kept the two-year-old confined to his hospital room for ten days. “He loved saying hi to people,” Monica says, “so having to keep him inside broke your heart.”

Two weeks later, however, Logan was finally well enough to be discharged. He joined his parents at Brent’s Place just in time to celebrate his third birthday, complete with a pile of presents and a Minions-themed cake. As his health stabilized and Halloween neared, the family got to work creating a truly memorable family costume: characters from the Despicable Me movies. Logan had a great time trick-or-treating as a Minion, collecting goodies from the candy chutes, and posing with his parents as Lucy and Balthazar Bratt on a purple catwalk during the virtual Halloween party. “Halloween at Brent’s Place was awesome,” Monica says.

As the family's journey toward healing progressed, the trio could often be found joining activities and safely making friends with other residents, even enjoying socially-distant resident basketball games. The ever-outgoing Logan was able to spend time with other Brent’s Place kids playing outside and interacting through virtual activities like story time. “It makes you happy to see them interact,” Monica adds. She, too, feels the power of the strong and understanding community at Brent’s Place – a group of resident families and staff members who have rallied around and supported her family during the most difficult and frightening time of their lives.

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, Logan, Jonathan, and Monica are hopeful that they may be able to celebrate the coming holiday in their own home, surrounded by loved ones. Logan in particular can’t wait to get back outside and go hiking.

But their time at Brent’s Place won’t be forgotten: “I’ve met so many people with so many good hearts,” Monica says. “Everyone has been so amazing.” When asked to comment, Logan blew an approving raspberry.

Are you ready to help families like Logan's find hope and healing?

When ten-year-old Lily began experiencing fainting spells and vision problems in late 2020, her mother Thea’s concern reached a tipping point. Lily had already been experiencing periodic low-grade fevers and lethargy for months but testing had revealed nothing out of the ordinary.

It was a trip to the optometrist in their hometown of Cheyenne, WY that finally set change in motion. The doctor pulled Thea aside and shared a concerning observation: Lily’s exam revealed retinal hemorrhaging – a symptom commonly seen in patients with leukemia.

Lily’s primary care doctor was equally alarmed and sent them immediately to Children’s Hospital Colorado. “I only packed an overnight bag,” Thea remembers. “I thought we would be home the next day.” Little did they know, Lily and Thea would be uprooted and far from home for more than a year.

While initial blood work and testing suggested leukemia, a biopsy later in the week revealed a more serious and frightening diagnosis: severe aplastic anemia. Thea was shocked to learn that this extremely rare disease was threatening the life of her daughter. Life-saving treatment plans were immediately put into place, and they mandated that Lily must stay near the hospital – far from familiar surroundings and support systems.

“As a single mom, I was already formulating a plan of how to take care of her,” Thea remembers. But as hotel stays depleted their savings, options dwindled. Their future financial stability was further threatened when the distance forced Thea to give up a beloved job. “I realized I didn’t have a plan,” Thea says, “and that was scary.” The final straw was a dangerous sewage leak at the friend’s home where they were staying, representing a huge health risk to Lily, whose treatments had already weakened her immune system.

It was at this point that Thea learned there was a safety net ready and waiting to stop their freefall. Luck was finally on their side when a last-minute referral from Lily’s medical team revealed an open apartment at Brent’s Place. Overwhelmed and exhausted, the mother-daughter duo arrived within hours, relieved to settle into their Safe-Clean space with the knowledge that their stay, no matter how long, would not impact the family’s finances. “I didn’t understand how people we’d never met before could be so kind,” Thea says.

Just a few weeks later, an entire Thanksgiving feast was delivered to their doorstep. At that point, “I didn’t know what I was going to do about food,” Thea remembers. “I had one paycheck in my account and hadn't signed up for benefits yet, so we froze it and ate for weeks.” The extensive meal and food support programming at Brent’s Place represented yet another significant need that had been anticipated.

With long-term accommodations in place and robust respite opportunities available, Thea was able to place her focus squarely on her daughter’s fluctuating health. Over the next few months, Lily’s disease failed to respond to treatment and the pair experienced a frightening rollercoaster of medical emergencies: an unsuccessful bone marrow transplant, severe sepsis, and respiratory failure.

Throughout it all, the Brent’s Place community rallied around Lily and Thea, providing support programming through weekly meals (including Boston Market – Lily's favorite!), craft kits, and more. Regular check-ins from staff members and creative outlets were a welcome relief to Thea as she did her best to manage the emotional turmoil that comes along with the life-threatening illness of a child. “There were days I couldn’t pull myself out of bed and needed to take care of my mental health,” she says. “Then Brent’s Place would offer to bring something fun for us to do together and it would turn the whole day around.”

In September, after what felt like months of back to back health scares, Lily’s medical team said it was time to try a second bone marrow transplant – this time with Thea as the donor. Within weeks, Thea was admitted to the hospital for the procedure. Moments after donating 1.4 liters of marrow from her hip, she asked to be taken to her daughter’s bedside. As Lily received her mother’s bone marrow, Thea took her hand and cried quietly, hoping that this time the transplant would be a success.

Days passed and Lily grew stronger. While Thea still held lingering doubts after the failed first transplant, she felt hope, too. It was well-placed: nineteen days after her second transplant, Lily was finally discharged from the hospital and returned to Brent’s Place just in time to celebrate her twelfth birthday, complete with a Halloween-themed cake. “Maybe,” Thea reflects, “I was always supposed to be her donor.”

Today, Lily continues to rest and heal at Brent’s Place, feeling stronger than she has in many months. The mother and daughter have even more reason to celebrate, too, with Thea’s recent engagement. And while this growing family is still taking Lily’s medical journey day by day, the reassurance Thea feels knowing that they have a home away from home for as long as they need it is truly invaluable.

Are you ready to help families like Thea and Lily find hope and healing