Shelia Hobbs

Sheila Hobbs and her husband Dave adopted Jase in 2016. Jase has significant health needs, and in April 2017, he was admitted to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital for surgery. After a few weeks, he was ready to go home. His doctors said he needed home nursing care to stay safe and healthy, but unfortunately their family’s insurance did not cover it. At $20,000 a month, paying for the care on their own was out of the question.

For almost five months, Ms. Hobbs searched tirelessly for a solution for her son–waiting on hold for hours with different agencies, coordinating hospital staff, and supporting Jase while he was stuck far from home. Many would have been tempted to give up, but Sheila kept going. Through a social worker, Ms. Hobbs got in touch with the Tennessee Justice Center, and a few weeks later, Jase was approved for a special category of TennCare. At last, Ms. Hobbs and TJC found the obscure answer that brought her baby home.

TJC honors Sheila as a Mother of the Year for her amazing work advocating for her son. She is a model of persistence and love. She has also worked with TJC to share her story so that other families in similar situations will be able to find help and not feel so alone in the process.