One Family's Fight to Bring Their Daughter Home -- And Bridge Colorado's Rural Healthcare Gap
Their daughter, Marlowe, was born at just 25 weeks — barely over a pound. She spent the first eight months of her life on life support, undergoing surgeries and medical procedures that most parents never dream of. Today, she's thriving — playful, feisty, and full of light.
Now, Amy and Corey are fighting a different kind of battle: trying to build a safe, stable life for Marlowe in their hometown of Steamboat Springs — and discovering just how difficult that is for rural families with medically complex children.
"We love Denver," said Amy. "We're incredibly thankful to the doctors, nurses, and therapists who saved Marlowe's life. But our home — and our future — is in the mountains. That's the life we set out to build, not just for ourselves, but for our three children."
Despite being a world-renowned resort town, Steamboat Springs — like much of rural Colorado — lacks the infrastructure to support families with medically complex children. Private duty nurses are virtually impossible to find. Home health agencies often won't staff rural cases due to low Medicaid reimbursement rates and long travel times.
More than 700,000 Coloradans live in rural areas, yet:
12 counties have no psychologist or social worker
6 counties lack a dentist
1 county has no physician at all
Families across rural Colorado are quietly navigating impossible tradeoffs: stay close to specialized care in the city or pursue the life they dreamed of in the mountains.
Amy and Corey are choosing to stay — but they're asking for help. Not just for themselves, but to change the system for every rural family trying to do the same.
They're currently searching for a pediatric nurse — "a Mary Poppins with medical training" — to help care for Marlowe in their home. And they're working to launch a statewide initiative that will begin in Colorado and aims to build a stronger care network for medically complex children living in rural communities.
"This isn't just about one little girl," said Corey. "It's about the thousands of families who want to raise their kids in small towns and rural areas and still access the care they need. We believe it's possible — and we want Colorado to lead the way."
About Amy and Corey:Amy is the co-founder of Disruption Advisors, a national coaching and leadership development firm. Corey is an entrepreneur with deep roots in Colorado. Originally from Rifle and Englewood, they made the leap to Steamboat to raise their three children — Steele, Bodie, and Marlowe — close to nature, community, and the values they hold dear.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-familys-fight-to-bring-their-daughter-home--and-bridge-colorados-rural-healthcare-gap-302471014.html
SOURCE Marlowe's Road Home
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Hawley Aims to Roll Back Medicaid Cuts He Voted for Just Two Weeks Ago
Senator Josh Hawley introduced legislation on Tuesday that aims to roll back some of the major changes to Medicaid made in Republicans' sweeping policy bill, legislation that the Missouri Republican voted to pass just two weeks ago. President Trump signed that policy bill into law on July 4 after Republican leaders successfully wrangled a handful of G.O.P. holdouts, including Mr. Hawley. The bill included new restrictions on key strategies many states rely on to finance Medicaid, changes that could hit some Republican-led states the hardest, a recent analysis shows. Mr. Hawley is now proposing to repeal those restrictions. His bill would also double a rural hospital fund to $100 billion, from $50 billion, and extend the fund's life span from five years to 10. Republican leaders had agreed to include the $50 billion to assuage concerns from Mr. Hawley and other Republicans that the Medicaid cuts would shutter some remote hospitals. 'President Trump has always said we have to protect Medicaid for working people. Now is the time to prevent any future cuts to Medicaid from going into effect,' Mr. Hawley said in a statement on the bill on Tuesday. He did not take issue with a strict work requirement to qualify for Medicaid that Republicans made law through their domestic policy bill. In what amounted to a 360-degree return to his original position opposing the Medicaid cuts that are now law, he added: 'I want to see Medicaid reductions stopped and rural hospitals fully funded permanently.' Mr. Hawley had vowed in a statement released after the Senate passed the policy bill to 'continue to do everything in my power to reverse future cuts to Medicaid.' But that promise rings somewhat hollow, given that his new bill is unlikely to garner the support needed to become law. The 940-page bill that Republicans passed earlier this month included large chunks of the president's domestic policy agenda. Had Mr. Hawley voted against it based on his concern over the cuts to Medicaid, he would also have been casting a no vote for a wide range of other Republican priorities, including extending the 2017 tax cuts, reductions to food assistance and new funding for defense and border security. But his attempt to roll back the Medicaid cuts now struck at least one of Mr. Hawley's Senate colleagues as puzzling. 'Just so I'm clear… he's introducing a bill….to repeal the bill… he voted for….two weeks ago?' Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, wrote on social media.
Axios
2 hours ago
- Axios
Trump visit sparks protests at Pittsburgh AI summit
President Trump's visit to Pittsburgh's Energy and Innovation Summit ignited protests from critics who objected to his administration's policies and Carnegie Mellon's role in the event. The big picture: At a "Stop the Summit" rally near campus, CMU students and faculty criticized the university for hosting Trump, citing his administration's research funding cuts, international students' visa revocations and probes into diversity programs. Roughly 1,500 CMU students and staff signed a petition last week urging CMU to reconsider hosting. At a " Good Trouble Lives On" march hosted by Indivisible Pittsburgh along Forbes Avenue, activists denounced the Trump administration's policies on Medicaid, SNAP, LGBTQ+ care and immigration. Zoom in: Others voiced concerns about the potential environmental impact of energy-intensive data center buildout, including increased fracking and water use. Some worried efforts to lure tech giants and ramp up office development in the city will drive up housing costs and squeeze out lower-income renters. Friction point: "Good Trouble" marchers had a tense standoff with Pittsburgh police in riot gear at Forbes and Craig, where streets were closed. Protesters chanted, "Shame on you, CMU," "Dump Trump" and anti-police slogans for more than an hour. Yes, but: Organizers said they were notified in advance that police planned to block the street to protesters closer to campus. Catch up quick: Trump and Sen. Dave McCormick on Tuesday announced $90 billion in private-sector investments in a larger plan to boost data center development across Pennsylvania, promising tens of thousands of new jobs. What they're saying: Carrie McDonough, an associate professor of chemistry at CMU, said Trump's research funding cuts — and reductions to agencies like the NIH — will stall progress on finding treatments and cures for chronic, often disabling, diseases like her own multiple sclerosis. "We here at CMU are struggling with all of this on our campus," McDonough said. "Our hard work has been disrupted; our projects have been terminated. My own projects have been terminated, yet Trump thinks he's welcome here." The other side: CMU President Farnam Jahanian, in an open letter, called the summit a chance to advance the university's mission, noting CMU has taken legal action and otherwise pushed back against Trump administration policies the university has disagreed with.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Ex-Suffolk Exec Halpin to take on ‘Sleepy Drew' Rep. Garbarino — who snoozed through vote on OBBB
Ex-Suffolk County Executive Pat Halpin is jumping back into the political ring to take on 'Sleepy Drew'' Rep. Andrew Garbarino, who famously dozed through a vote on President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill. Halpin, a Democrat, launched his 2026 campaign Monday in Babylon, blasting the Republican incumbent for 'falling asleep on Long Island families' — after sleeping through and missing the first House vote tied to the key sweeping White House legislation. 'Our Congressman, Andrew Garbarino, is asleep at the wheel — literally,' Halpin said. Advertisement 3 Ex-Suffolk County Executive Pat Halpin is making a political comeback to take on Rep. Andrew Garbarino. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images 'He's been caught snoozing while voting to gut hospitals, slash food assistance and hand billionaires more tax breaks — all while Long Island families can't keep up with rent, childcare or medical bills.' Halpin, who once led Suffolk as the county's youngest ever top elected official, cast himself as a workhorse ready to 'get things done' while citing his extensive political resume. Advertisement Halpin served as county exec from from 1988 to 1991, during which time he launched the Long Island Housing Partnership, expanded community policing and domestic-violence programs, introduced drug prevention in schools and led one of the nation's top land preservation efforts, his campaign said. 'I know every corner of this district — full of good, hard-working folks,' Halpin said. 'I'll be your go-to congressman no matter if you're a Democrat, Republican, independent, short, tall, young or old.' 'You got a problem; I'll work to find a solution. Whether that's fixing a pothole or protecting Medicaid, I will find a way to help.' Advertisement 3 The Long Island Democrat officially launched his campaign Monday, calling out Garbarino for 'falling asleep on Long Island families.' Suffolk County Water Authority Garbarino has meanwhile carved out a reputation as a moderate in his party, breaking ranks to support the congressional January 6 commission, codify same-sex marriage and help pass former President Joe Biden's bipartisan infrastructure and cybersecurity bills. He slept through the first House vote on his party's linchpin One Big Beautiful Bill — delivering a major nail-biter at the time for Republicans, who ended up passing the legislation by just one vote without him. The Senate then revised the House bill and sent it back to the lower chamber for another vote — and Garbarino managed to stay awake to help pass that one. Advertisement He currently chairs the House subcommittee on cybersecurity, has introduced legislation to combat wildlife trafficking and pushed for workforce training programs and affordable housing aid across Long Island. 3 Garbarino was caught on video snoozing during the vote on President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, as his opponent Halpin said, 'Our Congressman, Andrew Garbarino, is asleep at the wheel — literally.' CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images He recently touted that he and other Republicans helped quadruple the SALT deduction cap to $40,000. But Halpin says Garbarino's record mostly falls flat at home, accusing the congressman of 'going Washington' and failing to deliver while accusing Garbarino of putting billionaires over Suffolk County's working families. Some constituents of Garbarino seem unhappy with their congressman, even within party lines, as hardcore Republicans liken him to a RINO, or 'Republican in name only,' while moderates criticize his high-profile snoozefest during the key bill vote. '[Republicans] called Biden 'Sleepy Joe' for four years, and then [Garbarino] actually slept through the vote. [Halpin] should call him 'Sleepy Drew' — he's got my vote,' Patchogue resident Jennifer Armúngo told The Post. Halpin closed out his announcement by saying voters are 'tired of the dysfunction' — and argued that Long Island 'deserves better' than what it's getting in Washington. Advertisement Garbarino did not respond to a Post request for comment. -Additional reporting by Steven Nelson
