Special Fund at Stead Family Children’s Hospital Offers Help During Hardship

PHOTO COURTESY TAMAKIA ANGEL Tamakia Angel and Cornelius Davis are pictured with son Corvon at UI Stead Family Children's Hospital.

Before Tamakia Angel and Cornelius Davis’ son Corvon was born, they knew he would need care at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. But the Davenport, Iowa, couple had no idea that his initial hospital stay would last 105 days.

Corvon was diagnosed with Trisomy 21, a genetic condition also known as Down syndrome, while Angel was pregnant. She planned to give birth in Iowa City, but Corvon arrived prematurely in October 2023 in Davenport. He was airlifted to UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital the same day, and Angel arrived at UI Hospitals & Clinics by ambulance. Because of her high-risk pregnancy, she had stopped working two months earlier, leaving the family with a single income.

“We never want finances to be a reason that parents aren’t able to be with their child at the hospital.” —Kathy Shey

Traveling between Iowa City and Davenport while Corvon was hospitalized proved challenging financially for Angel and Davis, partners of 23 years who also are parents to two school-age children and two young adults. That’s when staff tapped into the hospital’s Extenuating Circumstances Fund to provide gift cards for gas and some household expenses. “This program has really, really helped us a lot to be able to see our little man more than we expected,” says Angel. “Any money donated to us was so much appreciated.”

The Extenuating Circumstances Fund was started about a decade ago, but demand for assistance has grown since 2020, according to Janine Petitgout (90BSN, 94MA, 14DNP), director of the hospital’s pediatrics care coordination division and pediatric pain/palliative care program. The fund helps in “all aspects of people’s hardships when a child is hospitalized,” she says, including support for travel expenses, hospital dining, and other needs. “Many times, one parent quits their job so they can be here with their child.”

In 2023, the fund distributed more than $87,000 in assistance. Donors include individuals and families who have benefited from the fund previously, as well as corporate partners. Since December 2020, GreenState Credit Union has contributed $225,000, making it the fund’s largest donor.

“It really makes a big difference in a NICU family’s life.” —Tamakia Angel

The need for financial assistance is especially acute in a rural state like Iowa where families may travel several hours to reach Iowa City. The Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital offers the highest-level care in the state. Although NICU babies tend to have long in-patient stays, the fund helps qualifying families throughout the hospital.

Despite being far from home, Corvon’s parents remained vigilant about being with him at the hospital, says social worker Kathy Shey (95BA, 99MSW). “I knew it was difficult for them financially, and they were hesitant to ask for help,” says Shey. “We never want finances to be a reason that parents aren’t able to be with their child at the hospital.”

For Angel’s family, the assistance provided a financial—and emotional—lift when they needed it the most. “It really makes a big difference in a NICU family’s life,” Angel says.