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Noah Lorencovitz is 23 years old. 

Until 2016, Noah was a healthy child. When Noah suffered a cardiac arrest during gym class at school, a lack of oxygen caused a severe anoxic brain injury, leaving him with complex and lifelong medical needs. 

Today, Noah’s care involves a wide range of medical supports: seizure monitoring, respiratory treatments, feeding tube management, and the careful management of medications and medical equipment. He has undergone major scoliosis surgery, receives Botox injections and intrathecal baclofen pump management, and requires ongoing orthopedic care, bracing, and stretching. 

For many years, Noah was authorized to receive 19 hours of nursing care per day, allowing trained nurses to monitor his health and provide the medical interventions he requires throughout the day and night. 

Noah’s nurses manage the constant medical risks that accompany his condition. He experiences seizures that require close monitoring and faces a high risk of aspiration during tube feedings, which can involve vomiting and require immediate suctioning. Respiratory illness is another concern, sometimes requiring chest physiotherapy, oxygen support, and frequent monitoring. 

Because Noah cannot reposition himself, he must also be turned every 30 to 60 minutes to prevent dangerous pressure injuries. His nurses manage feeding tube care, monitor for infections, and watch for the smallest changes in his breathing or comfort. This round-the-clock vigilance is what allows Noah to remain stable at home rather than in a hospital. 

Recently, however, Noah’s authorized nursing hours were reduced. 

For his parents, the reduction in nursing hours has brought deep concern. The monitoring and preventative care that have helped keep Noah stable depend on a consistent team of nurses who know him well and can recognize the subtle changes that signal when something may be wrong. 

When hours are reduced, that continuity of care is often the first thing families lose. 

Because nurses can earn higher wages in hospitals, Noah's parents have had difficulty finding care for him, especially on nights and weekends. 

“This makes it incredibly difficult for my husband and I to sleep and care adequately for our other children or tend to household responsibilities,” Noah’s mother says. 

Please help ensure nurses get higher wages so Noah’s family can keep their son at home—where he belongs!