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What is a Trach?
A tracheostomy is a small opening in the neck that connects directly to the airway. For some children, it’s a temporary support; for others, it becomes part of how they breathe and grow for years.
It is not a diagnosis — it’s a path forward. Children with trachs can often still live full, meaningful lives. They can go to school, play with siblings, celebrate birthdays, and continue growing into who they’re meant to become.
What changes overnight is everything around them: routines, sleep, finances, and the quiet rhythm of family life. That’s where we come in.
Airway Conditions
Subglottic stenosis, vocal cord paralysis, and other conditions that make breathing without help unsafe.
Long-Term Ventilator Support
For children whose lungs need consistent help moving air, day and night.
Prematurity & Lung Disease
Babies born early often need extra time and support to develop strong, independent breathing.
Complex Medical Needs
Children with multiple conditions whose care plans require around-the-clock attention.
Hunter’s Story
Why We Started the Little Trachs Foundation
In 2021 Hunter Hartman’s life changed forever. His daughter, Naomi, was born with vocal cord paralysis and received a tracheostomy when she was just 11 days old. For Hunter and his family, “trach life” became an immediate and all-consuming reality.
He remembers the early days and the relentless grind of care where the smallest victories felt monumental.
“During that first year, my wife and I used to joke that if we simply managed to make it to the mailbox, the day was a success,” he said.
It was in those moments of isolation and exhaustion that the seed for Little Trachs was planted.
5 years later, the Hartman family has navigated 22 surgeries, including 15 trips to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital from Southern California for specialized vocal cord procedures.
Naomi’s resilience and joy through it all have been the driving force behind Hunter’s commitment to medically complex children.
“In that first year with Naomi, I watched her work through the simplest things, like just trying to lift her head. But she did it all with a smile, and she found joy in the middle of it all,” Hunter said.
This changed him. “For a long time, I thought I was the one taking care of her, but the truth is she was taking care of me. She taught me that life is always worth living, even when things get incredibly heavy,” he said.
Hartman founded Little Trachs to make sure other families know they aren’t alone in the fight.
“These kids with trachs are heroes, they deserve capes for what they handle and accomplish every day,” he said.
“I honestly hold a deep admiration for the way these children live life to the fullest, despite their challenges. These kids truly are God’s angels,” Hunter continued.
Little Trachs aims to support families who are currently caring for their hero trach child.
“And I want to make sure no parent feels they are walking the path to the mailbox alone,” Hunter concludes.
Our Mission
What We Do
Trach care changes every aspect of family life — emotionally, financially, and physically. We built Little Trachs to meet families exactly where the system leaves off.
Equip Families Financially
Direct, fast relief for the costs that insurance never quite covers — and that arrive without warning.
Educate Families on Resources
A trusted, plain-language library of what we wish someone had handed us on day one.
Empower Families through Community
Connection with other parents who already speak the language of suction machines and supply orders.
giving to little trachs
Why Donor Support Matters
Whether you need support or want to give it, Little Trachs helps families move from crisis toward stability.
From Crisis → Stability
Parents feel equipped instead of overwhelmed.
A grant arrives the week the bill does. A care guide answers the question the night nurse couldn’t. The fog lifts, just a little.
Exhaustion → Support
Families access help instead of falling through cracks.
When insurance denies, when programs run out, when the safety net frays — we are the next call, not the last.
From Isolation → Community
Caregivers find community instead of isolation.
Another parent who has been there. A text thread at 2 a.m. A reminder that this hard thing is not happening to you alone.
Together, we help families move beyond survival mode.
Behind the mission
Meet the People Behind Little Trachs
Kate Parkinson
Executive Director & Founder
Kate is the founding Executive Director of the Little Trachs Foundation. She brings over a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, education, and international program development, including leading initiatives supporting vulnerable children in Kenya and Brazil. Her work has focused on building donor networks, managing volunteers, and executing impactful fundraising and awareness campaigns.
As a high school educator and Teach For America corps member, Kate has taught English literature, writing, and Spanish in the U.S. and abroad, developing strong skills in leadership and community engagement. She also has experience in communications and public affairs through work in Washington, D.C. Kate holds a Master’s in Education Policy from Loyola Marymount University and a degree in Public Relations from Brigham Young University. She is passionate about helping every trach family feel seen and supported.
Luz Harris
Board Chair/Medical Expert
Luz is a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) with over 20 years of experience caring for medically complex patients. Since 2000, she has specialized in tracheostomy care, ventilators, CPAP, seizure management, genetic disorders, and muscular dystrophy.
Luz has extensive experience in pediatric home health, including 12 years with Saint Joseph, as well as work with Maxim Healthcare. Earlier in her career, she was the administrator, owner, and lead nurse of a senior care facility, where she developed strong leadership and operational expertise. Her passion for supporting medically complex children comes from years of hands-on care and close relationships with the families she serves. Luz is proud to bring her experience and compassion to the Little Trachs board.
Hunter Hartman
Board Director/Former Trach Parent
With over twelve years of experience in the logistics industry, Hunter is a builder and entrepreneur by trade, someone who understands how to solve complex problems and streamline difficult processes. However, his most defining leadership role has been navigating the world of medical complexity alongside his family.
Little Trachs’ mission stems directly from Hunter’s third born child. His daughter, Naomi, was born with vocal cord paralysis and received a tracheostomy when she was just 11 days old. Through Little Trachs, Hunter aims to support families who are currently in the thick of that same grind. He holds a deep admiration for the way these children live life to the fullest despite their challenges, and he is dedicated to ensuring that no parent feels alone.
Larson Laidlaw
Board Treasurer/Financial Advisor
Overseeing operations, finance, HR, and strategic initiatives in his career, his experiences translate directly into his role as Board Treasurer of Little Trachs. As the board treasurer, he is responsible for financial oversight of the organization, including budgeting, banking, and ensuring the foundation’s resources are managed with care and transparency.
He also knows firsthand what it means to grow up facing complex medical challenges. He was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease as a child, underwent a number of surgeries as a teenager, and lives with an ileostomy. His experiences drive his passion for ensuring trach families never feel alone.
Common Questions
What Families & Donors Ask Us
Yes. The Little Trachs Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 413792319). Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, and you’ll receive a written acknowledgment for any gift of $250 or more.
Any family caring for a child with an active or recent tracheostomy is eligible to apply. Requests are reviewed regularly by the Executive Director and designated board members, with priority given to urgency, financial hardship, and essential needs not covered by insurance or existing programs.
Whenever possible, we pay vendors and providers directly — utility companies, pharmacies, hospital billing offices, gas card programs. When direct payment isn’t an option, funds are sent to the family by ACH or check, typically within 72 hours of approval. 95% of every dollar reaches families; 5% covers the cost of running the program.
Email info@littletrachs.org for general questions, or support@littletrachs.org if you’re a family in need of assistance. We answer every message personally — usually within one business day.
