Our Stories

Kendra Bauer, a NICU nurse at St. David’s Medical Center, is married with two children – Renee, 7, and Clark, 3. Throughout his life, Clark has faced developmental challenges – he had difficulty walking, wore leg braces, and required speech, physical and occupational therapies. One day, Kendra noticed what looked like a strange bug bite on his back and sought medical advice. The mark was diagnosed as a potentially cancerous tumor very close to the spine.

Due to his young age and the tumor’s dangerous location, removing Clark’s tumor required specialty care at a facility two and a half hours away from home. The cost of his care, travel expenses, and time away from work quickly snowballed into a financial crisis. Fortunately, she remembered the Hope Fund and applied. Shortly after, she received the news that her family would receive assistance to help them through this terrifying time.

“The whole experience changed my life forever,” she said. “The Hope Fund helped us find peace in a time of immense fear. We are forever grateful for the love and support from our HCA Healthcare family.” Clark emerged from surgery with incredible news – the tumor was confirmed to be not cancerous. His recovery has been astonishing. Now, Kendra says, “He’s walking, running, and so resilient! You would never know what he went through.”