08/11/2026
Update from Kimberlee: 8-9-26
“She’s in surgery unplanned right now. She took a turn for the worse.”
We can try to understand what parents/caregivers go through trying to take care of children with serious health issues, but until we walk in their shoes, we cannot fathom the battles they live with minute by minute.
Kimberlee Hobley, is one of those parents with her daughter, Elise.
Elise is currently in Birmingham, Alabama, where she’s expected to spend at least four to six weeks receiving specialized care. She is being treated for complications related to juvenile idiopathic arthritis and spina bifida, conditions that have brought years of pain, hospitalizations, & uncertainty. Kimberlee shared that additional surgeries may be ahead, including procedures involving Elise’s bladder and the possibility of a pressure monitor being placed after upcoming testing.
Like so many families with medically complex children, Kimberlee has had to leave home in North Alabama for an extended stay while trying to keep life together. She and Elise are staying at the Ronald McDonald House near Children’s of Alabama, where expenses continue to add up while everyday life doesn’t stop. Their vehicle also needs repairs, adding another concern waiting for them when they return home.
Kimberlee shared that she recently found herself crying with other parents whose children face serious medical challenges. Through that experience, for the first time in a long time, she felt understood.
She said it’s hard to find people back home who truly understand what parents of chronically ill children carry every day. The constant worry, the emotional walls built after so many close calls, and the exhaustion that never seems to end.
She also shared another concern that many parents can relate to. When Elise returns to school, she hopes her daughter will be met with kindness instead of bullying. Every child deserves that.
If you would like to encourage this family, there are several ways to help.
Financial gifts may be sent through Cash App at $Kimberleehobley or the GoFundMe link located in the comments.
Cards of encouragement may be mailed to:
Elise Fisher
c/o Ronald McDonald House
1700 4th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233
Most importantly, let Kimberlee and Elise know they’re not carrying this burden alone. Go ahead & share this need. You can make a difference that way as well.
Thank you!
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