Why Barrow Neurocritical Care ICU Team?

Barrow’s Neurocritical Care team is still relatively new, but they are already changing lives. A few years ago, Dr. Ruchira Jha started building a specialized and cohesive team that could meet the needs of the sickest neurological patients - those who require constant, innovative, and highly specialized care. She carefully selected physicians who not only have unmatched expertise, but also a deep sense of humanity. Doctors like Dr. Patrick Crooks, Dr. Nassim Matin, Dr. Aditya Kumar, Dr. Chia-Ling Phuah and Neuro Pharmacy Specialist Tyler Haller have poured themselves into this mission, building a program that is saving lives every day.

But their work is only beginning. The team is growing so they can reach more families like ours, families who never imagined they would need this level of care. Donations directly support their ability to expand, to research, and to provide the kind of intensive, around-the-clock treatment that gave Brielle another chance at life.

Supporting this Barrow team isn’t just about funding a hospital department. It is about making sure that when the unthinkable happens to another family, the team is ready and able to meet them with the same tireless dedication and heart that carried us through the unimaginable.

Inside Our Experience at Barrow

When Brielle was transferred to Barrow, we quickly realized the level of attention, knowledge and care were exactly what we needed. Her doctors and nurses didn’t just treat her condition, they cared for her in ways we never expected. Some came in on their days off just to check on her. They created a special journal, led by Dr. Nassim Matin, where her doctors and nurses wrote notes each day, sharing how Brielle was doing. That journal has become one of our greatest treasures. Through their words, we see her fight captured in detail, the challenges, the setbacks, and the small victories that meant everything.

There were nights when Brielle’s body was in torment from severe medication withdrawals. We stood by Brielle and watched as her doctors and nurses sat by her side, holding her hands for hours, long after their shifts had ended. They didn’t have to stay, but they did. They stayed because they truly cared. They stayed because they wanted Brielle to feel safe. They stayed because they were in this with us every step of the way. Over time, these doctors and nurses became family. They cheered for Brielle in moments of progress, and they held her (and us) through the dark days. Even though they had many patients to care for, they never once made us feel like we were taking too much of their time.

Brielle’s progress today is the direct result of their tireless work and their deep compassion. We never imagined we would be in this situation, but thank God for Barrow. None of us knows if or when our family will ever need this kind of care, but we are forever grateful it was there for ours.