I had the honor and privilege of becoming a primary care provider in the Adult Special Care Clinic/Special Care Clinic at Children's Hospital Colorado in August 2022. Our clinic provides a medical home and primary care to children and adults with complex medical conditions and intellectual/developmental disabilities. While I have been a primary care provider for over 20 years, the last (almost) 2 years have awed and inspired me in ways I never knew were possible. Our patients and their families live their lives with enormous challenges, both in managing their medical conditions as well as navigating a world that is not built with them in mind. Despite these challenges, I have never witnessed so much love, compassion, and gratitude as I have seen from my patients and their families. To be a part of their lives and to provide the care that they so desperately need, and often struggle to access, is a gift that I am forever grateful for.
Caring for our special needs patients is a monumental task that takes a huge team. Having a team of medical assistants, nurses, care coordinators, family health navigators, and medical providers is a necessity in caring for these complex patients and their families, allowing them to access the resources and care they need in order to not just live, but thrive. Providing the resources and care team they need requires a lot of caring individuals committed to this work and the financial resources to support these care teams and provide these resources.
Our team in Special Care Clinic founded the Special Forces Courage Classic team in an effort to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation, an organization that helps provide some of these necessary resources and makes the comprehensive care we provide possible. The Courage Classic is a 2-day fundraising bike ride benefitting the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation, challenging our bodies physically in an effort to raise support for our patients and their families. Bill and I are excited to join this team and take part in this adventure together!
This summer, as our team rides down quiet country roads and over challenging ascents in the breathtaking Rocky Mountains, we remember our patients with special needs and the families that so diligently care for them. We are riding in their honor and riding to raise funds to make a difference in their lives. But it takes a village to care for these patients and families, and they need your help. Your tax-deductible donation of any amount to support our team will directly benefit Children's Hospital Colorado and continue to allow us to provide amazing care to these patients who depend on our clinic and on Children's Hospital.
Can you make a difference for these amazing patients and their families? Of course you can! It all starts here. Please donate to Team Coke and support the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation with your tax deductible donation!