Being There With Care: Supporting Families in Medical Crisis

When families have a child with a critical illness, not only do they face the medical crisis; they face emotional exhaustion, financial strain, and the overwhelming logistics of maintaining normalcy while their world is turned upside down. There With Care steps in during these moments, offering practical and compassionate support to help families cope.

Founded in 2005 by Paula DuPré Pesmen, There With Care has an origin story both unexpected and magical. While a producer on the Harry Potter films, Pesmen received a misdirected call from a wish organization that exposed her to the struggles and isolation faced by families in medical crisis. That serendipitous moment sparked the creation of an organization that has become an indispensable lifeline for families navigating critical illness.
The Bay Area chapter, launched in 2011, partners with Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco to serve as a bridge between medical treatment and family stability.

Executive Director of the Bay Area chapter Kathy Hansen Sweeney explains, “We focus on the critical phases of medical crises, providing ongoing support for the entire family, from the child’s diagnosis until discharge or until the child is no longer critically ill.” 

While hospitals treat illness, families often struggle with the practical challenges that a medical crisis creates. There With Care compassionately fills this gap by providing food security, transportation assistance, patient and family essentials, and home stability through its network of 450 core volunteers and organizational partners.

The numbers tell a powerful story: for 13 years, There With Care of the Bay Area has supported over 4,300 families, serving up to 650 families annually. What makes their approach so unique is their commitment to supporting the entire family unit, recognizing that when one child is critically ill, everyone in the household is affected.

Carlos, an 11-year-old boy with a heart condition, was referred to There With Care by their medical social worker, Hannah Bichkoff. “Carlos arrived at the hospital so critically ill that he was classified as ‘failure to thrive,’” Bichkoff says. “During his eight months in the ICU, Carlos faced not only physical challenges, he also struggled with his mental health and began to lose weight rapidly.”

Bichkoff adds, “They brought meals, snacks, and treats – things that finally motivated Carlos to eat – their small acts have profound impact. Carlos gained the weight he needed to survive a transplant, while his parents found relief from the crushing burden of trying to hold everything together.”

Medical crises ripple through entire households. Parents lose wages to stay bedside at the hospital, siblings feel left behind, and daily necessities become overwhelming obstacles. There With Care’s approach recognizes these realities and meets families with dignity, stability, and compassion.