DePaul Expressions Vol XXIV Num1

A Bridge to Hope Story

Every day at DePaul, we meet children, families, and individuals who are already carrying more than their share of life’s weight. They are doing everything they can to move forward, yet the support, therapeutic services, or essential equipment they need is often just out of reach. And when insurance says “no,” their challenges grow even heavier. Recently, DePaul’s Bridge to Hope Fund became a lifeline for one of our sponsored residential clients, Stacey. Stacey lives with a

debilitating disability and her world depends on the safety and stability of her bed. But her old electric bed had failing wiring and unpredictable controls. Her air mattress—meant to protect her fragile skin—was wearing thin. Her daughter, who cares for her, lived in constant fear that the bed would fail completely. Without it, safe transfers would be impossible. The risk of injury was real. Insurance refused to help. Because Stacey had not yet developed three pressure injuries and did not live in a nursing home, she did not “qualify.” In other words, she needed to suffer more before they would consider stepping in. Her daughter refused to accept that. DePaul refused to accept that. And thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Bridge to Hope Fund refused to accept that. Today, Stacey has a fully electric bed and a new air mattress—safe, reliable, and life-changing. Her daughter can breathe again. Stacey can rest without fear. And this happened because someone like you cared enough to give.