More Than Care: A Lifeline for Families

Ava's family find rare relief through Minnesota’s only pediatric respite home.

Justine and her husband, Dalfred, live in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, a nearly 5-hour drive from Crescent Cove. When they were expecting their first-born, Ava, they had no idea that one day, they would need the only respite Home in Minnesota to support their family.

Ava was born in 2020 at just 31 weeks and suffered a severe brain injury, resulting in lifelong disabilities. Her mother, Justine, became critically ill after delivery and survived on life support for weeks until her body recovered. This was an incredibly difficult time for them all, especially Dalfred, Justine’s husband, who worried about losing both his baby girl and his wife. Around Christmas, Justine was finally able to come off life support and meet her baby girl, who had remained in the NICU. Ava came home at 87 days old in January of 2021. Their journey as Ava’s parents had just begun.

“Being a parent to a child with complex medical needs changes the way you look at life,” says Justine. Their days are filled with hospitalizations, surgeries, g-tube feedings, and weekly therapies. “Attending things out of the home takes a lot of planning and preparation, making sure we have all of Ava’s medical supplies packed,” she shares.

"We have and are still learning how to adapt to a world that wasn’t fully made for children like Ava. Some days are much more challenging than others, but there is still so much joy!" writes Justine.

When Justine and her husband, Dalfred, first heard about Crescent Cove, they were hesitant. They had never been away from Ava for more than eight hours. But the constant demands of her care—and the hope for rest—led them to make the long drive for their first visit.

They quickly saw something remarkable. Our nursing team not only mastered Ava’s complex medical needs, but also connected with her in meaningful ways. “We have always felt strongly that we wanted to leave Ava in the care of someone who could medically take care of her and also be a friend to her. We were so relieved to find this at Crescent Cove!”

Justine and Dalfred had begun to accept that they may never be able to vacation together, but were able to do so during one of Ava’s respite stays, their first vacation in seven years. “We needed that time to connect and strengthen our marriage, to relax and not be on a schedule,” says Justine. Respite care truly supports the entire family.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, families like Ava’s never receive a bill, and private insurance does not cover this care.