Mariana’s Story: Keeping their family home
For Natalia Castillo’s family, caring for Mariana is a full-time responsibility.
Mariana is tracheostomy and ventilator dependent and requires around-the-clock care. Between specialist appointments, therapies, medical equipment, and daily caregiving, much of the family’s time and energy is focused on helping her stay healthy and safe.
Natalia and her husband are also raising another young child, making each day a careful balance of meeting both children’s needs while managing the realities of life with a medically complex child.
Like many families in the trach community, one of their biggest challenges has been finding reliable nursing care. Without consistent support at home, maintaining steady employment becomes difficult. Work schedules often have to be adjusted around appointments and caregiving, while medical expenses continue to grow.
Over time, those challenges began to affect the family’s finances.
They fell behind on their mortgage and worried about keeping stable housing while continuing to provide the care Mariana depends on every day.
In her application, Natalia shared:
“As Mariana’s primary caregiver, much of our family’s time, energy, and financial resources are dedicated to meeting her complex medical needs. The demands of her care, combined with the challenges of maintaining employment while coordinating her medical needs, have created financial hardship for our family.”
To help relieve some of that pressure, The Little Trachs Foundation provided mortgage assistance, giving the family some breathing room as they continue caring for Mariana.
For families raising children with complex medical needs, stable housing isn’t simply another monthly bill. It’s where medical equipment is stored, therapies happen, and routines that keep children safe are built.
Every family’s needs look different, but the goal is the same: creating a stable home where children like Mariana can continue to grow, heal, and thrive.
