Meet Abby.

Nora Marquez dotes on her precious baby girl. When Abigail was born in 2016, she was a wee 1lb 10oz and her early months in the neo-natal intensive care unit at UCSF were complicated by challenges with breathing and eating. Doctors placed a g-tube to support nutrition and weight gain and a tracheostomy to protect her fragile airway.

When Abigail was ready to come home at age seven months, Coastal Kids was there to help. Just before the holidays Abigail returned home to the single room she shares with her mother and two brothers in a small apartment. Her nurse, Robin, was there to greet them and support her mom Nora with her daughter’s ongoing feeding challenges and to assist with weekly tracheostomy changes.

Abigail was admitted to the Partners for Children Palliative Care program in Santa Cruz County. This dynamic program offered Abby and her mom additional support through social work, massage therapy and respite care. Abby receives regular massages to help her flexibility and mobility. Her mom, Nora, is thankful for the lifeline that Coastal Kids has offered to her family and she regularly sends nurse Robin updates on Abigail with little messages like, “I don't know what I would do without Coastal Kids Home Care." Nora avidly follows Coastal Kids on social media and we are so thankful to have her be apart of our Coastal Kids family.

“I don’t know what I would do without you guys”

--Abby’s mom