05/22/2026
This week is Global Tracheostomy Awareness Week, and we want to shine a light on what life looks like for some of the tiniest NICU patients in the Jackson Chance family. A tracheostomy — a small opening in the windpipe to help a baby breathe — is one of the most common procedures for infants in the NICU, often due to chronic lung disease or airway complications from premature birth.
What many people don’t realize is that these babies often go home still needing their trach, and it’s their parents who become their primary caregivers. That means moms and dads spend weeks at the bedside learning to suction airways, change trach tubes, and operate ventilators — trained and guided by NICU nurses and respiratory therapists. They’re not just parents. They’re part of their child’s medical care team.
For Haley and Greg, that’s exactly what their family’s journey looked like. Their daughter Eleanor spent 136 days in the NICU, and despite living an hour away in the suburbs, they were able to be there most days — receiving regular, in-depth training on Eleanor’s trach care and complex medical needs so they could be fully prepared to bring her home safely.
That kind of consistent presence doesn’t happen by accident. It’s why Jackson Chance Foundation’s parking programming exists. When you’re learning the skills that will keep your baby thriving at home, missing a day isn’t an option. No parent should have to choose between the cost of parking and being at their child’s bedside. We remove that barrier — completely, for every NICU family at our partner hospitals, for the entire stay — so parents can focus on what matters most: being with their child. 💛
Family:
