Meet Brady
Our family’s experience is the inspiration for Brades’ Place.
Like many kids, Brady knew how to share his contagious smile, overflowing heart, and ageless wisdom. He brought a unique light into our home and though we always did our best, it was challenging to meet Brady’s many complex and intense medical needs while keeping up our family’s health and wellness.
Born very premature, Brady faced many challenges, including severe cerebral palsy, heart defects, vision issues, severe lung conditions, thyroid malfunction, low muscle tone, dependency on technology for eating and breathing, and dramatic developmental delays.
With Brady’s endless stream of love came multiple, sometimes all-consuming tasks which impacted most day-to-day decisions we made as a family. Simple matters of grocery shopping, going for a walk, or being present for my other children were a surprisingly large part of my caregiver fatigue, and grew as the years went on.
There are many families with experiences like ours. Nearly 1 in every 8 homes in the U.S. has a child with a severe and life-changing diagnosis. These amazing children average more than 5 medications daily and 13 medical practitioners including at least 6 specialists. Despite all this help, nearly half of these kids have medical needs that are unmet, caregivers feel beyond their capacity, and sibling’s lives are forever changed.
Brades’ Place is formed in the honor and benefit of all children with complex medical challenges and their families. We provide the needed holistic and comprehensive services and support to allow the whole child (physical, emotional, and spiritual) and their family to live well.
I welcome you into the Brades’ Place family! We have been in a place similar to where you are and are honored to join with you in your story, needs, hopes, and wishes.
Thank you for all you do,
Becky Oakley
Our Vision
Our purpose is to empower children who have life-altering diagnoses and their families to embrace their unique traits and to live each day with the holistic and comprehensive medical care and support needed to meet their challenges and live well while facing serious illness.
We envision a future where every child and their family living with medical complexities has the support they need to thrive. We are committed to providing excellent, individualized care, as well as advocating for and facilitating the essential and much needed cultural shifts to accomplish this vision through accessibility, accountability, and legislation.
Our Mission
Brades’ Place works with children living with medically complex diagnoses by providing specialized medical care for the whole child (mind, body, and soul) and supportive care for their family.
Meet the Brades’ Place Team
Becky Oakley, FNP-C, RN
Executive Director, Board Member
Becky has dedicated her life and nursing career to caring for children with life-changing diagnoses and disabilities. Becky adores her six children, who inspire her daily. Brades’ Place is named after her medically complex son, Brady, who taught her that children with unique traits do amazing things every day.
Becky brings experience as a parent and as a medical provider for medically complex children. She draws on both experiences to improve the lives of her patients and their families.
To Brades’ Place, she brings a deep respect for the miracles that happen when parents and children are able to come together for one another with the supports they need to succeed.
Matt Oakley, LMT
Director of Patient and Family Services
Matt Oakley, LMT, is the Director of Patient and Family Services at Brades’
Place. His most recent professional focus includes inpatient medical
massage work in oncology. Matt is a student of philosophy and loves to look at life and its’ meaning from different perspectives. Having grown-up with siblings with serious medical challenges, Matt’s genuine respect for the abilities of those with unique bodies is clear in the personal support and compassion he offers. Matt enjoys rock climbing, games, and creating things with his hands.
To Brades’ Place, Matt brings a deep appreciation, respect,
and resolve for individuality, balance, and joyful living.
Eden N. Rasmussen
Board Member
Eden is a business owner and digital organization expert. She loves to work with clients one-on-one to teach them to tame the information overload in their lives. As a professional writer, she loves to write about the intersection of nutrition and mental health, and tease out the powerful relationship our nutrition has on our behavior and health.
To Brades’ Place Eden brings excellent communication, writing, graphic design skills, and artful expression. She is dedicated to helping the lives of our patients and their families with the connection between nutrition, health, and wellness.
Joseph M. Johnson, MD, FAAP
Board Member
Doctor Johnson is a board-certified pediatrician with 16 years of experience in providing care for children with special needs in his private practice. A quote he lives by is “Smooth seas never made a skillful sailor”, and believes that taking on hard challenges improves all aspects of life. He has four children of his own and enjoys hiking, fishing, biking, and running.
To Brades’ Place, Dr. Johnson brings a dedication to empowering families through access to excellent care for their children with special needs.
Hannah Johnson
Board Member
Hannah has a love for the outdoors and enjoys them with her husband and son. Having grown up with siblings with special needs, she intuitively understands their needs and how to help. Hannah is passionate about her work with children of different abilities, and teaches children with special needs professionally. She sees their individuality and abilities clearly, and helps them grow and enjoy their unique abilities to the fullest!
To Brades’ Place she brings a devotion to children with special needs, and passion to help each family and team member inspire their child to be successful in their daily life and dreams.
Karen Acerson
Board Member
Karen Acerson is an author, Utah native, wife, and mother of six children.
Growing up with two family members with severe medical challenges,
Karen knows first-hand the true joy that family members with medical
complexities bring to their families. She also understands the services and
resources that each family member needs and the impact when these
needed supports are not available.
Her professional experience in overseeing customer service departments, tenure on boards and with nonprofits, as well as her family’s community and church service all showcase her commitment to improving the world around her in very individual and large-scale ways.
To Brades’ Place, Karen brings a lifetime of commitment, vision, and hard work to simplify, clarify, and streamline the important tasks at hand to improve lives.
Meet the Brades’ Place Team
Becky Oakley, FNP-C, RN
Executive Director, Board Member
Becky has dedicated her life and nursing career to caring for children with life-changing diagnoses and disabilities. Becky adores her seven children, who inspire her daily. Brades’ Place is named after her medically complex son, Brady, who taught her that children with unique traits do amazing things every day.
Becky brings experience as a parent and as a medical provider for medically complex children. She draws on both experiences to improve the lives of her patients and their families.
To Brades’ Place, she brings a deep respect for the miracles that happen when parents and children are able to come together for one another with the supports they need to succeed.
Matt Oakley, LMT
Director of Patient and Family Services
Matt Oakley, LMT, is the Director of Patient and Family Services at Brades’
Place. His most recent professional focus includes inpatient medical
massage work in oncology. Matt is a student of philosophy and loves to look at life and its’ meaning from different perspectives. Having grown-up with siblings with serious medical challenges, Matt’s genuine respect for the abilities of those with unique bodies is clear in the personal support and compassion he offers. Matt enjoys rock climbing, games, and creating things with his hands.
To Brades’ Place, Matt brings a deep appreciation, respect,
and resolve for individuality, balance, and joyful living.
Eden N. Rasmussen
Board Member
Eden is a business owner and digital organization expert. She loves to work with clients one-on-one to teach them to tame the information overload in their lives. As a professional writer, she loves to write about the intersection of nutrition and mental health, and tease out the powerful relationship our nutrition has on our behavior and health.
To Brades’ Place Eden brings excellent communication, writing, graphic design skills, and artful expression. She is dedicated to helping the lives of our patients and their families with the connection between nutrition, health, and wellness.
Joseph M. Johnson, MD, FAAP
Board Member
Doctor Johnson is a board-certified pediatrician with 16 years of experience in providing care for children with special needs in his private practice. A quote he lives by is “Smooth seas never made a skillful sailor”, and believes that taking on hard challenges improves all aspects of life. He has four children of his own and enjoys hiking, fishing, biking, and running.
To Brades’ Place, Dr. Johnson brings a dedication to empowering families through access to excellent care for their children with special needs.
Hannah Johnson
Board Member
Hannah has a love for the outdoors and enjoys them with her husband and son. Having grown up with siblings with special needs, she intuitively understands their needs and how to help. Hannah is passionate about her work with children of different abilities, and teaches children with special needs professionally. She sees their individuality and abilities clearly, and helps them grow and enjoy their unique abilities to the fullest!
To Brades’ Place she brings a devotion to children with special needs, and passion to help each family and team member inspire their child to be successful in their daily life and dreams.
Karen Acerson
Board Member
Karen Acerson is an author, Utah native, wife, and mother of six children.
Growing up with two family members with severe medical challenges,
Karen knows first-hand the true joy that family members with medical
complexities bring to their families. She also understands the services and
resources that each family member needs and the impact when these
needed supports are not available.
Her professional experience in overseeing customer service departments, tenure on boards and with nonprofits, as well as her family’s community and church service all showcase her commitment to improving the world around her in very individual and large-scale ways.
To Brades’ Place, Karen brings a lifetime of commitment, vision, and hard work to simplify, clarify, and streamline the important tasks at hand to improve lives.