In 2021, the Rogers family anxiously awaited the birth of their first child. For most new parents, this is an exciting period, but for the Rogers, anxiety started to creep in. They knew their daughter would be born with a heart defect, but they were unsure of just how serious it would be.
After she was born, baby Meghan stayed in the NICU for one month. During the first four months of her life, she faced several challenges. Meghan underwent open-heart surgery and a PDA stent, and was diagnosed with heart failure.
The Rogers brought Meghan to their Sunnyvale home warily, as doctors truly did not know how long she would survive. For the Rogers, caring for their fragile daughter at home was made possible through the support of Coastal Kids Home Care, a local organization that offers home-based pediatric palliative care for medically fragile children.
“Coastal Kids was our saving grace during a very difficult time. I do not know how we could have done it without them,” says Tenisha Rogers, Meghan’s mother.
Now 2 years old, Meghan has continued to grow stronger and will be graduating from palliative care soon. Meanwhile, she continues to receive regular nursing visits, music therapy and social services support from Coastal Kids.
To ensure that other medically fragile children can get the treatment and support that helped Meghan and her family look forward with optimism, Coastal Kids Home Care is holding its second annual Touch-A-Truck event at San Jose’s History Park on Saturday, April 20. The fundraiser features various trucks and special vehicles for kids, and kids at heart, to climb on and explore, as well as a classic car parade from West Coast Kustoms, food trucks and games.
“We are thrilled to bring Touch-A-Truck back to History Park,” says Margy Mayfield, founder and CEO of Coastal Kids Home Care. “We hope this signature fundraiser benefiting medically fragile children is something people can continue to look forward to every year.”
Rogers says she and her family are looking forward to attending the fundraiser.
“This event is such a unique opportunity for all families to come together and celebrate keeping children healthy, happy and out of the hospital,” she adds. “It’s not just a day of fun; it’s a day of making a lasting impact.”
All proceeds from the Touch-A-Truck event, presented by Valeta and T.J. Rodgers, benefits in-home nursing and therapy services for children living with illness and disability in the South Bay.
“It’s difficult to explain what a lifeline like this means to these families,” says Silicon Valley innovator T.J. Rodgers, who along with his wife Valeta, is a longtime supporter of the nonprofit. “Put simply, Coastal Kids helps them achieve some sense of normalcy, something that so many of us take for granted.”
Touch-A-Truck will take place April 20, 11 am-3 pm, at History Park, 635 Phelan Ave., San Jose. Tickets are $10 (kids under 2 are free) at https://www.coastalkidshomecare.org/events/touch-a-truck-san-jose.