14-Year-Old Arrives at George Mark Children’s House for Respite Care

Daniel Lockwood arrived at George Mark Children’s House in San Leandro on June 1 with his parents Sarah and Kevin Lockwood, Usa Today reported. The 14-year-old has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, a swallowing disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Nurses led the family to a magic forest-themed bedroom after they unloaded his wheelchair, clothes and medications.

George Mark Children’s House opened in 2004 as the first facility in the United States to offer pediatric palliative care services. It was modeled after homes in the United Kingdom and has no more than 10 bedrooms. The nurse to patient ratio is 4 to 1.

Families receive care at no charge, with the facility funded primarily through philanthropy. Shekinah Eliassen’s son Lars died at the facility at 21 days old in 2012 after being born with seizures. He spent his final nine days there. Eliassen now serves as CEO and said families never see a bill.

The Lockwoods, who have six children, had not taken a weekend trip alone in years before finding the home in spring 2025. Paul Taguinod, 24, who has cerebral palsy and is blind, has used the facility for respite care since 2017. Angela Dobkin’s 20-year-old daughter Abigail, who has Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, cerebral palsy and seizure disorder, also stays there for respite.

Antoinette Mincey has worked at George Mark since 2011 as director of clinical programs. Jonathan Cottor cofounded Ryan House, a similar facility in Arizona. His son Ryan was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy as a baby and lived to age 17 before dying in 2018.

Cottor created Children’s Respite Homes of America and the National Center for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes. The first pediatric palliative care center license was recently granted in Iowa, where Mason's Light House is fundraising for construction. Cottor is in talks with legislators in seven other states.