Kami’s Story: A Circle of Care

When you meet Kami, the first thing you notice is her warmth. She has a presence that makes you feel welcome. For much of her life, she poured that warmth into caring for others—teaching, cooking and helping residents in nursing homes, and supporting friends and family through hospice. Helping people, she says, has always been part of who she is.

In recent years, Kami’s own health needs have become increasingly complex. She lives with a degenerative form of scoliosis that has required six spinal fusions, a neurological condition that mimics multiple sclerosis, recurring brain lesions, and significant digestive issues. Her symptoms affect her speech, memory, vision, and mobility. Some days, her hands struggle to grip; other days, her left leg suddenly stops working without warning.

“I can hardly cook anymore,” she shared. “Sometimes I can’t even do simple daily tasks.”

Still, Kami meets the hardest moments with humor and grace. She laughs as she recalls the morning her husband opened a cabinet and found the milk sitting on a shelf—another day when her memory had slipped. “We have to find the joy where we can,” she said. “Little moments like that help us get through.”

Because both she and her husband rely on Supplemental Security Income (a federal program that provides payments to individuals who are age 65 and over and who are disabled and vulnerable), rising grocery costs have added even more strain. Grocery shopping is no longer safe for her, and many foods from the food bank aggravate her stomach issues. “At the end of the month, we always struggle tremendously,” Kami said.

Some of Kami’s burdens were eased when a member of her palliative care team helped her apply for Project Angel Heart’s medically tailored meal program. With allergies, chronic digestive sensitivities, and days when she cannot stand long enough to cook, having nutritious meals she can rely on brings comfort, support, and stability. What’s more, Kami’s cardiologist noticed a difference in her heart health at a recent appointment.

“The meals from Project Angel Heart mean the world to us,” Kami shared. “They’re delicious, filling, and they’re made for what my body needs.”

Kami also finds deep comfort in the connections she has built with her neighbors. Many moved in around the same time seven years ago, forming a small community of care—people who check on one another, share stories, and offer encouragement during difficult times. “We’ve taken care of each other from the beginning,” she said. “That’s what community is.”

For most of her life, Kami was the one caring for others. Today, that care has come full circle. With neighbors who check in and Project Angel Heart delivering meals she can rely on, she now has the steady support she needs to get through each day.