Case 1: This case involves a 14year old with End Stage Renal Disease on chronic at-home Peritoneal Dialysis. They have monthly care appointments in the Nephrology Clinic which can last between 2-3 hours. They are also seen by other specialties at Arkansas Children’s such as Urology. The patient will remain on nightly dialysis until they are eligible for a life-saving kidney transplant. This is a catastrophic illness because it is a chronic, severe medical condition requiring ongoing medical care. The patient is currently in the “work up” process to be listed for a kidney transplant. During this process, it is vital for the family to have access to a reliable vehicle. Organ offers can come at any time and the family would need to be able to be present in a timely manner. Although Medicaid Transportation can be used for outpatient appointments, it is not flexible enough for the family to rely on once the patient is active on the transplant wait list. Currently the family only has one working vehicle which one of the caregivers uses to get to/from work. This has negatively affected the family’s ability to make all of the clinic appointments Earlier this year, the patient’s other caregiver had to quit their job due to transportation issues and not being financially stable to utilize things like “ride share” for long-term employment. This has caused the family financial difficulties caring for the patient and their other siblings. The family is requesting assistance to repair the family’s other vehicle so they can get to the patient’s appointments and arrive at ACH as soon as possible whenever a kidney becomes available. At the time of admission for the transplant, one caregiver will need to remain with the patient while the other caregiver will have to care for other siblings/work. Since the family does not have additional family or social support to help them, they will need access to two reliable vehicles to make this happen.
Therefore, we are submitting for your consideration a request for $859.34 for car repairs Total Ask: $859.34
The committee approved $859.34 for vehicle repair.
Case 2: This case involves a five-month-old patient who was recently discharged from the NICU after a several month admissions. The patient was diagnosed with congenital heart disease which required surgery. Due to this nature of the condition, one of the caregivers had to stop working to be at bedside while the other caregiver (who was the previous sole provider) started a new job, but they have not yet received consistent income to maintain household expenses, including rent. The family is committed to regaining financial stability when both caregivers can return to work once the patient becomes more medically stable. At this time, they would greatly benefit from financial support to help cover their rent and their car payment. Therefore, we are submitting for your consideration the following needs: Rent ($1400) and Car note ($155) Total ask: $1,555.00
The committee apporoved $1555 for rent and car note.
Case 3: This case involves a 7-year-old patient admitted to Arkansas Children’s Hospital as of Oct 31st. The patient was admitted with necrotizing pneumonia with acute respiratory failure and sepsis. They are a medically complex patient with a high risk for adverse outcomes. The family previously received support for the Baby Sharon Committee recently. The caregiver had had an unexpected upcharge in combined utilities bill that ran it in the $900+, but the water company is working with them to help get caught up. Due to recurrent illness and prolonged admissions, the caregiver has been unable to work their normal hours. They have been balancing coming to the hospital to visit and remain present with their other children at home. The patient has several medical equipment’s that are used daily to help their body and keep them alive. This equipment requires electricity to be running in the home. Therefore, the family cannot afford to have their utilities disconnected as it is unknown how long that patient will be in the hospital but will need to be able to connect to a power source when discharged. This family is also facing uncertainty as the patient is going to need extensive and major surgery that may put the caregiver out of their job for an extended period of time. Additionally, due to the complexities of this patient and the amount of medical equipment that the patient must have with them at all times, the patient requires their own room and cannot sleep in a shared space so losing their home would cause the patient to need facility services. Therefore, we are submitting for your consideration the following needs: Water Bill ($597.63) Total ask: $597.63
The committee approved $597.63 to support the water bill.
Case 4: This case involves one month old patient that was recently admitted to the NICU with spontaneous intestinal perforation and pneumoperitoneum. The infant required intensive care and is expected to undergo another surgery in approximately one month. Due to the caregiver’s high-risk pregnancy, they were placed on bed rest for about a month prior to delivery, which resulted in a reduction of the family’s household income. The other caregiver continued working until the patient was born and used their available paid time off to remain at the hospital during the NICU stay. However, their PTO has been exhausted, and the family has had no income coming in during this time. Although the caregivers have saved a small amount to pay for their regular household expenses, those funds have now been depleted, and they have begun falling behind on essential bills. Additionally, the patient’s upcoming surgery will require both caregivers to take additional time off, further impacting their financial stability. The family has endured an overwhelming and emotional journey and is doing everything they can to care for their medically fragile child while trying to maintain basic living needs. While the patient was recently discharged, their financial situation has not improved, and they are struggling to recover. Therefore, we are submitting for your consideration the following needs: Rent ($1824.00), Electric ($121.37), Water ($77.00), Internet ($60.00), Car Note ($513.00) and Car Insurance ($134.39) Total ask: $2,729.76
The committee approved $2729.76 for the expenses noted above.
Case 5: This case involves a 17-year-old patient who was previously healthy until they experienced a cardiac arrest at home in Dec 2023. The patient was admitted to ACH Cardiology Intensive Care for further management and care. The patient underwent placement of an ICD in 2024 however; they continued to have recurrent arrhythmias. She is followed on an outpatient basis at ACH by the cardiology team who determined in May 2025 they were in end-stage heart failure (Class IV). At that time, it was determined that the patient’s only chance of survival would be a pediatric heart transplant, which they underwent in June 2025.
Since the initial cardiac arrest, the patient has required multiple hospital admissions and ongoing intensive monitoring due to persistent, life-threatening heart rhythm abnormalities. The patient’s care needs are extensive and require strict adherence to medication schedules, frequent specialty follow-up, and careful monitoring in a stable home environment. These demands have significantly limited the parents’ ability to work consistently in their small business, resulting in substantial financial strain.
During the patient’s transplant admission, the family fell behind on their mortgage payments and were unable to recover financially. Although they worked with their mortgage provider to obtain a forbearance plan, the revised terms increased their monthly payments from $749.62 to $1,978.59—an amount far beyond their current means. The family has now been notified that their home is in foreclosure and that they must pay $9,978.50 to reinstate the loan.
Stable housing is essential for the patient’s ongoing medical recovery. Homelessness or housing instability would put them at significant risk by disrupting access to critical medications, equipment, infection precautions, and the frequent follow-up appointments required after a heart transplant. Maintaining a safe and reliable home environment is vital to protecting the patient’s long-term health and survival. If this financial request is approved, the family will be able to resume their original, affordable mortgage payments using their VA benefits. This support would allow them to remain in their home, protect the patient’s health, and restore a measure of stability during an exceptionally difficult period.
Therefore, we are submitting for your consideration the following needs: Mortgage ($9,978.50). Total ask: $9,978.50
Approved $5,000.
The total approved today was $9741.73
