ATDC - Association for Technology Dependent Children Angela's House
  Residential Services for Medically Fragile Children
Coordination of Complex Home Care Services

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Newsletter

Spring 2004 Edition

Message from the Executive Director

The number of children referred to us continues to rise. This allows us to fulfill our mission to help medically frail children in our community. The outreach in our community received a helping hand from the Long Island Advertising Club, LIAC, who selected our agency to develop educational flyers and posters.

We are very grateful to our community that continues to support our efforts. HRH and Plaza Construction, sponsoring our Spring Golf Outing, St. Thomas More Catholic Church sponsored a walk-a-thon, and St. James Lutheran Church held a fashion show. These fund raising events, along with several other efforts, bring a bright light to our future. I received a call from several students of the Westhampton Beach Middle School that wanted to help us. The students held a variety of student driven fundraisers from a bake sale to a Hawaiian Day and raised $1000 for Angela’s House. Seeing children helping children really warms your heart.

Our efforts continue with the parent professional group called The Long Island Network of Parents of Children with Special Health Care Needs. On May 18th we had a special workshop setup to educate families and service providers about the financial entitlements to help families.

Construction began on the foundation of Angela’s House II in Smithtown. Our efforts continue with the respite house but we have run into further delays with the Catholic Diocese. We hope to work out issues holding up this worthwhile project that will help many families.

Our thanks for all the support that has been extended us.

A Day in a Life: One Family’s Story

To Whom It May Concern:
Enclosed is a picture of my daughter, Alexus. She is a year and a half.

My husband and I were thrilled when we realized she was coming into our lives. We are a fairly young couple. We were recently married and on top of the world. Alexus came into our lives on October 4th 2002. That was the best day of my life. We brought her home and for about a month we enjoyed our beautiful little girl. Then, without warning, our world came crashing down. My little girl had fallen ill. She was diagnosed with lissencephaly. Her father and I have been trying our best to keep our family from falling apart. This has put a great strain on our marriage and it has impacted our lives tremendously.

With this diagnosis my daughter is severely disabled. Alexus is a beautiful child who will never walk, sit on her own, or even talk. Her life expectancy is also short. She lives her life under a microscope and a battery of medications and tests. Even with all the odds against her, she manages to smile and to put a smile on everyone else’s face.

My husband and I are trying to remain strong. We are struggling with our means of living. I am no longer able to work. My full time job is caring for my daughter. The amount of pain that my husband and I are sustaining is indescribable. Through all of the pain and all of the tears, we all manage to take each day as it comes and to smile and be thankful.

Our hope for Alexus is that she may grow and be a happy child. We only hope to be able to provide for all of her needs. My wish is that she and her story will live on and inspire others. Despite her disabilities, Alexus has a voice, through me. Alexus walks, through me, and Alexus rejoices, through me………her mother.

Thank you for your time.

The Torch Foundation is Behind our Families

The Torch Foundation shows the families of ATDC/Angela’s House that the community cares for them.

The Torch Foundation had Santa and their helpers ready to go. They sponsored a toy purchasing night at ToysRUs, Commack, on the 26th of November 2003. Several young Santa’s Helpers from Hauppauge Middle and Grammar schools went on a 4-1/2 hour shopping spree to purchase over 100 gifts for our ATDC nurses to deliver. The Santa’s Helpers worked very hard to search for special gifts for each child. The Torch Foundation then sponsored a gift wrapping day on November 29th. Over 40 children were present to help wrap gifts for ATDC and other organizations. Bob Policastro, executive director, had invited his son’s little league baseball team that he coaches. This group of 10-year-old boys was very excited to help with the gift-wrapping. The holiday music was playing, as the children were busy wrapping gifts. Lunch was served along with snacks, which gave the children time to recharge for the second round of wrapping. It was a great experience for all the children that participated in this magical day.

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