Brad Thompson, now 23, came to Allies in early 2026 after spending several years receiving services from a provider in Voorhees specializing in serving youth with complex medical conditions.
Brad was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive, degenerative disease, as a young boy. In the following years, Brad’s care needs increased and it became difficult to fully support him in a home environment. One difficulty that stands out in Brad’s memory was the inconsistent nurses who would work with him for a few shifts before disappearing.
Brad with his Aunt Helen
“Brad’s situation is not unique,” Deepkumar Parmar, Clinical Assistant to Allies’ Integrated Health Team, said. “Many young adults with degenerative conditions spend years in pediatric or long-term care facilities, often past the point where they’ve ‘aged out’ of pediatric care, because there’s no clear pathway to community-based living.”
Brad moved into his home in Medford, New Jersey, after spending several years with his previous organization in Voorhees. The transition came after Brad aged out of the services offered there. Throughout all of these moves, Brad has been supported and cared for by his Aunt Helen, who makes the trip to Medford to visit with Brad as often as possible. During his life, Helen has been a constant source of comfort and support.
“My Aunt Helen has been a really great person to me,” Thompson said. “She loves me dearly and she is a very important person in my life. She calls me her hero.”
Brad had a central role in choosing what his home with Allies would look like. Leading up to his move, Brad toured his new home several times. During each of these visits, Brad asked specific questions about the home and the surrounding area, directing his care and the way his life would look once he moved into his new home.
Brad’s program at Allies is a medical group home intended to support individuals by allowing them to remain in their community of choice while receiving the complex medical care they rely upon. Brad enjoyed his time at the Voorhees program, but Allies is helping Brad to pursue his goals and live a full life as he settles into his new normal of residing in his community.
“Allies supported Brad by helping him move out of institutional care and into a group home, and by actively helping him to do the things he is interested in, like flying in a plane or visiting new parks around him,” Parmar said.
There are a lot of things that Brad wants to do and accomplish, and Allies has been working to create these opportunities for him.
So far, Allies has worked with Brad to explore local parks and is working to plan more trips. This August, Brad will be going to the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, taking a ride in a plane for the first time, and touring a fire station.
“Bonding with the staff has been a great experience,” Brad said. “I am also very grateful to have Deep, and planning things to do with him has been great.”
For individuals with complex medical conditions, organizations like Allies are essential. Allies is helping Brad to reside in a community of his choice with consistent staff and nurses. Meanwhile, Brad is empowered to seek out and experience things he likes for a full, rich life.
“For individuals with physical limitations and complex medical conditions, having consistent, dedicated support is the difference between a life confined to a facility and a life full of chosen experiences and relationships,” Parmar said.
“Without that support,” Parmar said, “these types of things would likely be very difficult to arrange on a consistent basis.”
As fall and winter approach, Brad is carefully considering what he wants to do next. No matter where he wants to adventure, Allies will be right behind.