Employees Names Kaitlyn Coscia, St. Mary’s Patient, Honoree of Annual Holiday Party
 
(Long Island, NY) The employees of Human First in Lynbrook, Long Island, a not-for-profit human services organization, went above and beyond the call of duty to support the young patients of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children, in particular, a young girl whose family desperately wanted to bring her home.
 
Born with a heart defect, at a tender 7 months old Kaitlyn Coscia suffered from a stroke. She first began receiving home care and Early Intervention services from St. Mary’s, a premiere provider of intensive rehabilitation and specialized medical care for children with special needs due to serious illness, injury, or complications of premature birth.
 
Kaitlyn’s care included physical therapy, special education and speech therapy to help with her developmental delays.  Later on she was enrolled in St. Mary’s preschool program.
 
After a second stroke Kaitlyn was admitted to St. Mary’s inpatient program where she began making immediate daily progress and began to do things her parents were told would never be possible. She opened her beautiful angelic eyes and was able to recognize her family and at times would respond.   Kaitlyn began doing so well; it was time for her to return home with her family.
 
Families with children with special needs have a lot to think about, including making their homes handicapped accessible to accommodate their child’s needs. Unfortunately, the state refused to modify Kaitlyn’s home due to a loophole in Medicaid and that’s when the team of compassionate employees at Human First stepped in.
 
“St. Mary’s took such wonderful care of Kaitlyn that she excelled and was ready to return home. Unfortunately, she had to stay in the hospital 2 ½ more years than needed because of the state’s refusal to modify her home,” said Mary Rendeiro, Executive Assistant at Human First.
 
Mary and her team fought long and hard to bring Kaitlyn home and even went all the way to Albany to advocate for her rights. After their persuading arguments, numerous trips and long battle, Kaitlyn’s home was finally modified.
 
Today, Kaitlyn continues to excel in meeting her milestones under the care of St. Mary’s renowned Home Care Program – The first in NY State and one of the largest providers in the country.
 
“Kaitlyn and her family are very special to us here at Human First and we were so happy to be a part of bringing her family together,” said Mary. “We know it’s because of St. Mary’s that Kaitlyn was able to meet her goals and is doing so well and we wanted to give back and support all the children of St. Mary’s and continue to help St. Mary’s in their efforts to help all special needs families achieve a better quality of life.”
 
Human First held their annual holiday party where little Kaitlyn was the honoree beaming from ear to ear.  Instead of a traditional Kris Kringle, everyone at the party bought a brand new book, some even bought a favorite book they enjoyed when they were little and donated everything to St. Mary’s Kids.
 
St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children is grateful to all the employees of Human First for their generosity and kindness, especially during the holiday season.
 
About St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children
St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children is a national leader in post-acute care for children with special needs and life-limiting conditions. Today one in five children has a special healthcare need. St. Mary’s provides intensive rehabilitation, specialized care, and education to 4,000 children each day in the New York Metropolitan region and beyond through its family-centered inpatient, home, and community programs. A pediatric healthcare innovator, St. Mary’s created the nation’s first pediatric palliative care program, NY State’s first long-term home healthcare program, NYC’s first certified traumatic brain injury program, and offers one of only nine interdisciplinary pediatric feeding disorder programs in the U.S.  For more information visit www.stmaryskids.org.