Marcous, a sweet, faith-filled 11-year-old boy, lives in a multigenerational home in Davidson County. He finds comfort in his faith and joy in reading and playing games. Marcous lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a rare genetic condition that mostly affects boys. Duchenne is a progressive condition with no cure. By ages 10-12, three out of four children with Duchenne lose the ability to walk. By age 20, people with Duchenne usually start experiencing heart and lung compl

In January 2026, Nan Glenn from Williamson County reached out to the Tennessee Justice Center (TJC) for help with her daughter’s TennCare renewal. Her daughter, like all little kids, is a happy, joyful little girl who loves music and dance. She lives with multiple complex medical conditions, including Sotos syndrome and a congenital heart defect. Her medical journey has been long and complicated, requiring care from numerous specialists. She receives 60 hours of highly specia

Breanne and Kris Hammons have been married for 16 years and are raising four children in Williamson County, Tennessee. Both Breanne and Kris live with different forms of dwarfism, and two of their children do as well. At the heart of their home is Zacchaeus, their bright-eyed, spirited 9-year-old son with a story unlike any other. Endearingly named after the “wee little man” from one of their favorite Bible stories, Zacchaeus was born with a rare condition: he inherited both

TJC helped Alyssa's family apply for and ultimately enroll in the Katie Beckett Waiver, a Medicaid program that allows Tennessee children with significant medical needs to receive care at home rather than in an institutional setting. While the Katie Beckett Waiver provides critical support to families, its enrollment process lacks synchronization and uniformity. TJC helped Finley successfully secure a spot on the waitlist.

Georgia* lives in East Tennessee with her husband and their three kids. The family keeps busy. “It’s chaos,” Georgia laughs. “My husband and I are nonstop—we both work full-time. I’m actually on the way to my son’s basketball game right now.” Georgia and her husband work hard to give their kids a joyful childhood. She reflects on the journey that brought her here: “My life growing up was very different from what my kids have now. The experiences my kids are getting? I’m exper

For Andrea, a hardworking single mom of twin boys born prematurely, Medicaid has been a force for good. Andrea’s sons were born at just 31 weeks, over two months premature, weighing in at just four pounds. The twins spent 37 nerve-wracking days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for extra support as they continued to develop outside of the womb. They were enrolled in TennCare when they were about 5 months old and have had TennCare ever since. James and Matthew were di

As the co-owner of a tattoo shop in Lafayette, Tennessee, and the mother of twin boys with complex medical needs, Shayela Ankenbauer understands what it means to juggle work, parenting, and the high cost of healthcare. For her and her husband, affordable coverage through the Marketplace—made possible by the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs)—is the only thing that keeps her insured. “Before getting on the Marketplace, we didn’t have insurance,” Shayela explained. “When I wa

For Kim Battinelli, life changed drastically in the fall of 2020. Just a year after losing her father to cancer, her husband of nearly...

When asked why Medicaid matters to her family, Lynnette Deal answered candidly, “In simple terms, I would be lost without this...

“We’d be up to our neck in debt,” our client candidly responded when asked what his family’s life would be like without Medicaid coverage. His wife has arthritis alongside severe foot pain that has required surgery. Additionally, multiple of his children require Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in school. All his family’s medical expenses have been covered through Medicaid, which has been indispensable for the health and well-being of our client’s family.

My name is Dale Nix. The early years of my life were a health struggle for me and my family. Beginning quite early in life, I began...

The Tennessee General Assembly’s 2025 legislative session officially ended on Tuesday, April 22. While the session did not result...

For nearly twenty years, Kathy Lyons opened her heart and home in Montgomery County to some of Tennessee's most vulnerable children....

Larry Locke is a 66-year-old lifelong resident of Hawkins County, Tennessee. Larry recently took on an unexpected role as full-time...

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Leigh Rast has had a life defined by hard work and a warm sense of humor. She works as a Registered Nurse at the Mental Health...

Andrew Johnson, a proud Navy veteran, moved to Tennessee in 2016 after serving nearly 11 years at Hampton Roads Naval Air Base in...

After spending three decades taking care of Tennessee, Sabrina Dae Rider Harper is now asking the state to return the favor. Sabrina is...

One of our clients struggled to get healthcare as she was studying to earn a Master’s degree. With limited income, she didn’t have the...

In October 2020, a family living in Memphis welcomed their baby born with a rare genetic disorder. The disorder presents complex health...