Cranston resident Corinna Calise, a 19-year-old with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) who relies on skilled home health care nursing for her care, was recently visited by Cranston State representative and Rhode Island Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello.

Corinna’s parents, Michelle and Michael, first learned of their daughter’s condition when she was just 11 months old.

“We were told to take our daughter home and enjoy whatever time we can with her because she’s not going to live to see her second birthday,” Michelle said.

Now, thanks to the in-home care she receives around the clock, seven days a week, Corinna is thriving nearly 20 years later.  Due to her condition, her nurses must have specialized training in life-sustaining equipment for tracheostomy care and ventilator maintenance, which allows Corinna to stay in her home with her family, instead of living in a facility. 

“People who don’t know us and see Corinna’s condition, say ‘how do you do it?’” Michelle said. “I will admit it can be difficult, but we feel blessed. Corinna is so much fun; she interacts as a typical young adult mentally and emotionally.”

During his visit, Speaker Mattiello was presented with a Legislative Champion Award by the Rhode Island Partnership for Home Care for his advocacy on behalf of home care and hospice providers, their direct care staff, their patients and clients and their families.

Founded in 1975 by J. Mark Baiada, BAYADA Home Health Care provides nursing, rehabilitative, therapeutic, hospice, and assistive care services to children, adults, and seniors in the comfort of their homes. Headquartered in suburban Philadelphia, BAYADA employs more than 26,000 nurses, home health aides, therapists, medical social workers, and other home health care professionals who serve their communities in 22 states from more than 335 offices with locations in Germany, India, Ireland, and South Korea. For more information, visit bayada.com.

VISITING CORINNA:

Pictured at a recent visit are (from left) Cranston State Representative Nicholas Mattiello; Ashley Sadlier, State Director of Government Affairs for BAYADA Home Health Care; Corinna Calise, a constituent of Speaker Mattiello; and Laurie Hampton Ellison, President of the Board of Directors, Rhode Island Partnership For Home Care, and Administrator for Cowesett Home Care. (Submitted photo)