St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Patient With Complex Heart Defects Spends Time in Nation's Capital to Urge Congress to Safeguard Medicaid for Kids

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Jun 28, 2019, 15:36 ET

TAMPA, Fla., June 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, 13-year-old Hope Dees of Land O' Lakes, FL joined more than 50 other pediatric patients from across the nation on Capitol Hill to meet with their members of Congress to speak out on behalf of children with complex medical conditions.

Thirteen-year-old Hope Dees, a patient at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa, and her parents, Mark and Kelly Dees, meet with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio on Capitol Hill June 25, 2019, to discuss health care needs for medically complex children.

Mark Dees shares his story of having a daughter with complex medical needs with Congressman Gus Bilirakis on Capitol Hill June 26, 2019. Thirteen-year-old Hope Dees is a patient at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa and was born with rare congenital heart defects, a mild form of cerebral palsy and other complex health conditions.

Hope was born eight weeks premature, weighing only 3 pounds and 5 ounces. She was diagnosed with multiple complex health conditions including congenital heart defects, a tracheoesophageal fistula which is an abnormal connection between the esophagus and trachea, and a mild form of cerebral palsy called Spastic Left Hemiplegia. Hope had her first open-heart surgery at just 2 months old, and has since undergone two additional open-heart heart surgeries, several cardiac catheterizations, two orthopedic surgeries and years of physical rehabilitation.

"Hope would not be here today if we didn't have access to the specialized care she needs from a children's hospital dedicated to providing kids with the care they require to live their best lives," said Hope's mother, Kelly Dees.

During the June 24-27 trip, which was part of the Children's Hospital Association's annual Family Advocacy Day, the Dees family met with U.S. House of Representatives Gus Bilirakis, Vern Buchanan, Kathy Castor, Charlie Crist, Darren Soto, Ross Spano, Greg Steube and U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott.

"Hope's complex medical conditions are a part of her story for life, and we hope that sharing her story will inspire lawmakers to continue to provide meaningful coverage for families - including protections for people with pre-existing conditions, such as our daughter," adds Kelly.

Together, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital of Tampa and the family asked Congress to take into consideration the unique needs of children like Hope, who will continue to require critical health care services as they grow into adults, when considering changes to our country's health care laws.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to meet one-on-one with our members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and are hopeful that as they make decision regarding children's health care coverage in the future, they will remember Hope's story," said BayCare Federal Government Relations Manager Joni Higgins.

About St. Joseph's Children's Hospital As Tampa's only dedicated children's hospital, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital is committed to providing everything needed for the health and well-being of children. Part of the BayCare Health System, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital provides more acute medical and surgical pediatric care than all other hospitals in Hillsborough County. From the tiniest baby to the high school quarterback, patients are cared for by doctors who specialize in treating children, in surroundings designed exclusively for kids.

About BayCare
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 15 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and west central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit www.BayCare.org.

SOURCE St. Joseph's Children's Hospital