Dear friend,
The Christmas story is so familiar that it can be easy to forget how startling it is: A baby in a barn. Angels announcing world-changing news to night laborers. Foreign star-gazers seeing the truth while the locals sleep. The story brims with miracles in unexpected places. And this year, when the whole world has seen incalculable loss, fear, and change, we at CrossOver are here to say that it’s still true. In the dark of night, in the dead of winter, miracles arrive—thanks to you.
When Esmy, 6, became a patient at CrossOver, her family had been in the United States for less than two years. She needed heart surgery to repair multiple congenital issues. Her primary care doctor, along with the social work team, coordinated to get Esmy the appointments she needed. When it was time for her and her father to travel to Washington, DC, for the surgery, Poliana Costa, CrossOver’s trilingual patient access coordinator, entered the address into Esmy’s dad’s GPS. Meanwhile, Melissa Ellison, CrossOver’s family advocate social worker, printed step-by-step directions and added notes in Spanish. Our social work team provided gas gift cards for the trip as well as grocery gift cards to sustain the family of four through the days Esmy’s dad needed to take off from work. Melissa also called his employer to explain the situation, and the employer was fully supportive, assuring Esmy’s dad that he could take off as much time as he needed to be with his daughter. Melissa also gave Esmy a teddy bear which she took to the hospital.
Esmy’s surgery was a success, and while she recovered, her teddy bear didn’t leave her arms, and her dad didn’t leave her side. When Melissa arranged financial assistance for his multi-day parking in the hospital garage, he was afraid to leave Esmy to pick up the parking pass. Melissa understood, and she arranged for someone to walk it to Esmy’s room.
Over the last few months, Esmy’s parents have become patients at CrossOver along with Esmy and her sister. Now, the whole family receives care from our interdisciplinary team. Even more crucially, Esmy’s family has come to trust us. They know they are receiving not only excellent medical care, but also compassionate attention to the fears, needs, and hopes of their entire family.
In the midst of a pandemic, in fear for their daughter’s health and their financial stability, this family has found the miracle of hope. And we at CrossOver have seen the miracle of restored health, as Esmy, who before surgery couldn’t play without getting tired and short of breath, has begun to flourish.
In this season of unlikely miracles, we’re so grateful for Esmy and her family. And we’re grateful for all of the supporters like you whose generosity makes this work possible. Please make a gift today in support of miracles—for children like Esmy and families like hers.
Thank you for your support of compassionate healthcare. Wishing you and yours a joyful holiday season.
Julie Bilodeau
CEO