A Christmas Wish Come True – Nakita’s Story

Nakita was first admitted to hospital in April 2008. Alongside her existing special needs, she was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, requiring intensive and highly specialised treatment.
As her condition progressed, Nakita developed complex health needs, including the requirement for long-term invasive ventilation and multiple ongoing clinical interventions. What was meant to be temporary care became an unimaginable reality lasting almost two decades.

For much of Nakita’s life, hospital became her everyday world. She lived across intensive care and specialist clinical settings, facing repeated complications that increased the complexity of her care and made the dream of returning home feel increasingly out of reach.
Yet throughout everything, Nakita remained resilient, finding joy in the moments she could share with her family.
Above all else, she held on to one simple wish: to go home.

What is often unseen is that Nakita was never alone. From the very beginning, a member of her family, either her parents, Darren and Gail, or Nan Carol, was always by her side.
For the first 15 years, when temporary on-site accommodation was available, her parents stayed within the hospital grounds so Nakita would never be without familiar faces and constant advocacy.
In the last 18 months, following a move to Southport, despite the distance, her parents, Nan Carol, and husband Emlyn, travelled daily from Bangor to Southport so that Nakita continued to receive that same unwavering presence, day and night.

In 2022, plans were made to move Nakita into a step-down unit prior to discharge — a decision taken against Nakita’s wishes and those of her family. Deeply concerned that this was not the right environment, nor the right level of expertise for Nakita’s complex needs, her parents challenged the decision of the system in an effort to prevent the move. Despite this, the placement went ahead. Tragically, Nakita was harmed and neglected while there, in what was a nightmare for her and the family. A police investigation followed, and Nakita was removed from the placement and returned to hospital as a place of safety.

It was at this point that planning began in earnest to bring Nakita home, where she belongs.
During this time, the family have also led and begun fundraising to secure independent forensic expertise following the assault Nakita endured.

https://gofund.me/a9856de21

Despite exhaustion, trauma, and repeated setbacks, Nakita’s parents, Darren and Gail, never gave up. They contacted multiple care agencies in search of a provider with the clinical expertise, values and commitment required to support Nakita safely at home. HomeCareDirect stood out.
From the outset, it was clear that they understood Nakita as a person, not just a package of care. With confidence and trust, the family made the decision to move forward with HomeCareDirect.

In May 2025, after years of struggle, a breakthrough finally came.
With the support of HomeCareDirect, hope turned into action, and detailed plans for Nakita’s discharge home began to take shape.
Over the following months, Nakita’s parents worked closely alongside HomeCareDirect’s specialist team, the ward Matron, clinicians, and commissioners across both England and Wales.
Every detail was meticulously planned — from specialist equipment and highly trained staff to clinical oversight and governance — all with one shared goal and agreement in Nakita’s best interests: to discharge Nakita home in time for Christmas.

On 2nd December 2025, that goal became reality.

Nakita embarked on a 103-mile journey home for the first time in 18 years, travelling alongside her Dad and a HomeCareDirect nurse in an ambulance.
At approximately 2.30 pm, Nakita arrived home, greeted by her Mum, sister Yasmin, and extended family — a moment that marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

Our Registered Manager, Kaileigh, and Nurse Ceri, who supported Nakita’s discharge, described Nakita’s homecoming as one of the most magical moments they have ever witnessed.
They feel truly honoured to have been part of her journey.

Nakita’s return home represents months of careful planning — but at its heart, it is something beautifully simple: a woman returning to where she belongs, surrounded by the people who love her most, and supported by a professional care team headed by her family, who truly have her best interests at heart.

As Nakita and her family prepare to celebrate their first Christmas together at home in 18 years, we would like to say:

Welcome home, Nakita. We wish you a truly magical Christmas.

From all of us at HomeCareDirect