With a lifelong passion for Nursing, Donna Steigleder’s journey began in her childhood and evolved into a career in healthcare, where she gained a wealth of experience across various medical settings. Her personal Caregiving story started early, as she recognized and advocated for her daughter’s Mental Health needs at a time when such issues were often dismissed. Despite resistance from Family and medical professionals, Donna’s persistence ensured her daughter received the care she needed, ultimately enabling her to thrive as an adult and nurse herself.
Donna’s caregiving responsibilities expanded over the years, encompassing her first husband, who struggled with denial about his MS diagnosis, and later her mother, who battled Cancer. Balancing full-time work, Donna managed complex medical care at home, often feeling isolated and emotionally compartmentalized to cope with the relentless demands. Her experience as a director of employee relations gave her unique insight into the challenges working caregivers face, and she advocated for flexibility and support within her organization.
Recognizing the lack of accessible resources for caregivers, Donna created the “Healthcare to Home Care” website, a comprehensive hub for practical information and community connections. She also launched the “Compassion Mission” initiative, encouraging churches to support caregivers and those in need within their congregations. Donna’s story is not only one of personal sacrifice and strength but also of transforming her experiences into resources and advocacy to uplift others navigating the caregiving journey.
About Donna:
Donna Steigleder, a native of Henry, Virginia, began her career with a passion for writing and leadership, graduating in the top 1% of her high school class. After earning her nursing diploma, she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Her first job as a nurse clinician provided a broad range of experience, leading to her promotion to Director of Human Resources. After a Divorce, she became a single mother and took on a second job to support her family. Following her Marriage to Lynn Steigleder in 1997, she transitioned to working from home to care for him while continuing her HR duties until her Retirement in 2018. Now retired, Donna has combined her personal caregiving experience with her professional healthcare background to create Healthcare to Homecare, a website offering resources for family caregivers. She is also an advocate for churches to provide support to the sick and needy in their communities.
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Known since childhood as “The Elliott Girls” or simply, “The Girls”, it makes sense that we work together to support our mother, and each other. Our trio begins with Jenefer Jane “JJ” who was and always will be “in charge”. She’s the peacekeeper. The responsible one, ensuring Natalie and Emilie remain alive. Next is Natalie, the middle child, who was and always will be Miss Congeniality. She’s the athlete. The rebel responsible for three babysitters exiting the summer of ’84. Then there is Emilie, the youngest, who was and always will be “the baby”. At 6’1”, she is the sensitive and quiet soul. The one responsible for the guinea pig that begged for lettuce and the stray dog we adopted from the bus stop.
After high school we went separate ways, from New Mexico to North Carolina. JJ would go on to get her Master’s in Business Administration and work in the finance world before partnering with her now husband, Dexter, to run a variety of businesses. Natalie would go on to get her Master’s in Social Work degree, and work in the mental health field, advocating for children and families to receive the most appropriate services. Natalie would marry and divorce early on but later marry Jason. Emilie would exit college early to marry and gift us with Owen and twins, Maxx and Natalie Jane aka “The Kids”. Emilie would later divorce and work with county government, focusing much time on caring for the kids.
The source of the sisterhood falls to Jim aka “Big Jim” and Connie, small town high school sweethearts married for almost 40 years.
In 2005, at the age of 52, mom would be diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. She hid the disease for years behind dad’s 6’2” frame. The tremors and sudden inability to move were both calmed and steadied by his arm and simple presence. He was her rock. Our rock. Close family and friends knew of her chronic illness, but to the rest of the world, everything was “fine”. Life would turn upside down when our dad unexpectedly passed in 2011 of a massive heart attack at the age of 58. The assumption was Dad would always be mom’s caregiver but that wasn’t God’s plan.
Mom would spend the years following our father’s death desperately seeking a cure for Parkinson’s while trying to manage her symptoms. As the years went by, the cruel symptoms associated with the disease increased, negatively impacting her body while her mind remained clear and in tune. We lived our lives checking in to make sure she was “okay” but knowing the day would come when we had to do more. And then it did. The summer of 2019 changed everything. That’s where the real caregiver story begins for us. Little did we know she would be only the beginning of our caregiving journey.
In March 2022, Natalie’s husband, Jason, was diagnosed with head and neck cancer. From the first time Jason detected something off about the swollen lymph nodes in his neck, to the formal diagnosis, and the decision to move to New York City to participate in a clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the journey would push them to their limits. The silver lining of his diagnosis was the cancer brought them closer to God, restoring their faith in Him while also experiencing a myriad of blessings through the kindness of family, friends, and strangers. Their story is a testimony that will inspire and offer hope.
