When nine-year-old Emma started bruising easily, her parents brushed it off as part of being a busy, active child. But something in their gut told them to check with her pediatrician to be safe.
Routine blood work quickly turned into a medical emergency. Emma’s platelet levels were alarmingly low, and her parents were told to rush her to the emergency room. There, they received the devastating diagnosis—aplastic anemia—which is a rare, life-threatening disorder that causes bone marrow failure. Her only hope for survival was a bone marrow transplant.
Desperate to find the best care for their daughter, Emma’s parents spent months searching for a hospital that could help. As her condition worsened, they finally connected with Children’s Hospital Colorado. There was no time to waste. They packed up their lives in Iowa and left—without a plan, without a home, only knowing they had to fight for Emma.
Amid the whirlwind of medical procedures and fear of the unknown, they needed a place where their family could stay together, a place where they could rest and recover.
That’s when they found Brent’s Place.
Instead of squeezing into a cramped hotel room, they walked into a fully furnished apartment, complete with a private kitchen, bathroom, and even a balcony. A space big enough for their whole family to be together, to breathe, to find a sense of normalcy in the chaos.
“We walked in the door and it was just like a breath of fresh air,” Emma’s mom, Natalie, shared. “It wasn’t our home in Iowa, but it still felt like home. We were so thankful. It wasn’t what we expected—it was way better.”
At Brent’s Place, life didn’t stop.
Despite the hospital visits, the treatments, and the uncertainty, they could cook family meals, do laundry and watch movies together—simple things like that meant everything.
For the kids, Brent’s Place was even more than a safe home. It was a place of joy. Holiday parties, art classes, and community activities gave them moments of laughter and fun, even in the hardest times.
“Brent’s Place goes above and beyond—not just lifting the burdens of the parents, but making sure the children are happy. They make sure the kids can act like kids, even though they’re going through something so difficult,” Natalie said.
Now, Emma’s family is hopeful that she’ll be able to go home in just a few weeks. No matter where her fight takes her, Brent’s Place will always be here—a home when they need it most.
“I just can’t say it enough: Brent’s Place has been such a huge blessing to our family. It was an answer to our prayers. A place to call home when we’re away from home,” Natalie shared.
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