This Is Why We Do What We Do
Andrea Reitzel, a former HRIS/Payroll Project manager, created this company to help other families that face the challenges that her family and many others faced.
Here is her story: Andrea’s daughter Madeleine and son Alexander, pictured here, have come a long way. Madeleine (our company’s logo designer) is a fabulous big sister who has had Reactive Airway Disease but is now symptom free.
Alexander was a healthy and easy pregnancy and birth but his struggles started immediately. He had surgeries at age two and four months and was diagnosed with failure to thrive, multiple food sensitivities, and asthma. Alexander had low tone and was sick and at the doctor weekly. When he was 17 months old, the family Chiropractor, Lisa Goodman from Wash Park Chiropractor, suggested Alexander have an eye checkup due to a progressively worsening lazy eye.
Alexander was diagnosed with retinoblastoma (cancer) and later 13Q deletion (Orbeli Syndrome). Alexander was treated and is followed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City, on referral from Lyon’s Eye Center at University of Colorado Hospital. Alexander went to New York City every four weeks for treatment; over time this was extended to every six weeks and then every eight weeks. His last treatment was 1/30/2013.
Alexander is now cancer free! He will continue to have the eye tumor, but it has not grown. He continues to have multiple disabilities including apraxia (a motor speech disorder that makes it hard for children to speak) and mild to moderate autism (although he doesn’t agree with that autism diagnosis) and has daily therapies and care. He is a smiley, happy little boy.
While Alexander was going through this, Andrea had been referred to a home health company to be a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) for Alexander, a benefit available in Colorado. She decided to offer a more family-oriented, less corporate environment while meeting all statutory requirements and helping other families. Thus, All for Kids Home Health was born.
During the time that Alexander was going through treatment, Andrea was referred to a home health company to become a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) for Alexander, a benefit available in Colorado. Andrea became a CNA and started providing caregiver services to her son. During this process, Andrea could not shake the feeling that something was missing. As a result, she decided to start a home health agency that would offer a more family-oriented, less corporate environment where families of disabled children are treated with compassion and respect. Thus, All for Kids Home Health was born. Andrea remains passionate about helping families by providing support, education, and connections to resources.