Our People

A Hero Among Us

“He’s our hero.” This is the first thing JJ’s mom, Eleanor, says as we sit down to hear JJ’s story. During our conversation, I understand her sentiment completely. JJ truly is a hero among us. JJ suffered a complete spinal cord injury (SCI) in January 2007, resulting in a level C2 injury. This injury eventually improved to a level C3 injury. Today, JJ lives a full life at home surrounded by his friends, family, and trusted nurses. He enjoys riding to the beach, interacting with nature, and visiting with people.

Advocating for Sara: A Parent’s Perspective

Our People

Sara is a survivor. Sara, 9, is described by her parents, Rei and Daniel, as a girly girl and lover of all things Hello Kitty. Sara was born with Trisomy 16, a chromosomal abnormality. In 2012, she received a tracheostomy and was placed on a ventilator. Together, Sara and her family are supported by their friends, physicians, specialists, therapists, and nurses, who are all fighting to keep Sara healthy – and at home.

A Brighter Future for COPD Patient

Our People

Ms. Rochfella Bright, 52, enjoys being with her family, crocheting blankets, solving puzzles, and even fishing with Robert, her son, at a pond near their home. Life wasn’t always this good for Ms. Bright who suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, commonly referred to as COPD, until she was introduced to Intrapulmonary Percussive Ventilation (IPV) treatments at home.

The Importance of Today: Living with ALS

Our People

Mr. Alden Orput, 82, worked most of his career as the CEO of Orput Companies Inc., a third-generation family-owned real estate firm, founded in 1928. He is a savvy businessman, art collector, adventure seeker, family man, and for the past couple years, a man who is not defined by his disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Trissa Turns 10!

Our People

Trissa, 10, thrived for seven years with Independence Plus’s nursing care at home and was decannulated in 2010. Five months later, Trissa experienced complications and required another tracheotomy; Independence Plus’ nurses have been with her ever since. Today, Trissa lives with a permanent artificial airway (tracheostomy tube) and requires bilevel ventilation at night. She is progressing well, and her team has nothing but high hopes for her future.

Meet Mary: 21 Years of Service (and Counting!)

Our People

Mary Castranova has been working as a nurse at Independence Plus for the last 21 years. She continues to prove herself as a strong patient advocate and dependable nurse – and make a difference in our patients’ lives every day.

Turning Alex’s Football Dream into Reality

Our People

Last Friday, Alex, 15, was named Honorary Team Captain of St. Francis High School’s sophomore football team. This honor means a great deal to Alex and his family, particularly because Alex was severely injured the day before he was scheduled to play in his first high school football game last fall.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month: Alejandro’s Story

Our People

Alejandro, two and a half years old, has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and is ventilator dependent. Diagnosed with Type 1 SMA at a very young age, Alejandro lacks the ability to send signals from his brain to his muscles, which causes severe mobility impairment. Despite his limitations, Alejandro continues to make progress.

Transition Home: Creating a Family for Alexis

Our People

Recently adopted Alexis and her new sister have something in common: They were born with Spina Bifida. Spina Bifida, a birth defect, occurs when the bones of the spine, vertebrae, do not form properly around part of the spinal cord. The cause of this birth defect remains a mystery today.

Spotlight on Max: His First Trip to the Park

Our People

Max and his twin sister were born at 26 weeks in March 2012. After their birth, Max spent more than 15 months in the hospital until he was able to transition home in July. Last Friday, Max’s mom, Jessi, scheduled his first official outing at a local park. In case you missed it, we compiled a list of the media highlights from their special day.

Rehab at Home: Weaning Andrew off the Vent (Part I)

Our People

Andrew was born at 26 weeks at less than 1 lb. Due to Andrew’s severe prematurity and emergency birth, he was placed on a ventilator. Now 2, Andrew is crawling, using sign language to communicate, and has been working to accomplish his biggest goal yet: to breathe on his own without a ventilator.

The Courageous Story of a Mouth Painter

Our People

Onix Flores has lived with a rare neuromuscular disease called Charcot-Marie Tooth Disease for most of her life. Now living on a ventilator, Onix has chosen to share her courageous story through the art of mouth painting.

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