Thank you so much to NBC Bay Area and Garvin Thomas for covering the first ever CKHC Wedding. We are so honored to bring much needed medical and mental health services to our patients everyday and this was an extra special thing we were able to bring to one of our families.
About the story: Daphne Reyes was born preterm and as a micro-preemie has faced an incredible uphill battle in her little life. She has chronic respiratory failure and depends on a tracheostomy and ventilator to breathe. Since coming home from the hospital, Daphne and her parents have been supported by Coastal Kids Home Care's pediatric palliative care team. Daphne receives regular nursing, physical therapy, massage and music therapy and her parents receive social work support. In fact, a conversation with one of their social workers this past fall, revealed that amid all of Daphne's complications her parents, Joel and Areli, had not had time to plan a wedding. Coastal Kids Home Care Director of Palliative Care offered to officiate at a small ceremony and the wedding planning began. On Saturday, February 19, Joel and Areli were married at the new Rodgers Center for Children's Health in Salinas. Daphne, of course, was the flower girl. Her Physical Therapist worked with her on the days leading up the wedding and practiced how to drop petals as she walked down the aisle. Daphne's Music Therapist played music for the wedding and reception, and Coastal Kids Home Care staff and volunteers stepped in to coordinate all of the details including flowers, decorations, wedding cake, food and more. The team was also thrilled to offer a surprise honeymoon gift for Joel, Areli and Daphne to none other than–Disneyland! We are so honored to be able to provide critical in-home services to children like Daphne, but also create relationships with our families that last a lifetime.