
Just writing this blog is bringing me to tears because I have been a parent who relied on The Ronald McDonald house foundation in the past. Sharing my story is hard but important to show the beauty of this charity. 10 days after our daughter was born, she developed Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (known commonly as MRSA), which is an infection caused by a strain of staph bacteria that's become resistant to antibiotics. We were admitted to UNC Children's Hospital and were terrified. For days I didn't unpack our suitcases because I didn't want to admit that we'd be there and how serious it was. Our nurses came to us and offered to stay by her crib with IV poles and monitors attached to our sleeping infant and simply wouldn't take no for an answer to having us go to the floor where the Ronald McDonald Family Room was waiting. As locals, we didn't need a place to stay, but we did partake of their coffee, their snacks, and a calm place to center ourselves. It was much needed respite from our devastating struggle for our daughter's survival. Several antibiotics later, close to a stint into her heart, an antibiotic finally worked and we could take our fragile baby girl home. I'll never forget the kindness the organization showed us in our time of need. Then when our daughter was nearly two a condition called Failure to Thrive led us to get a Gastronomy Tube (G-Tube) inserted into her stomach at Duke Hospital so that we could feed her. During our difficult stay during and after the surgery, we often went down to this other Ronald McDonald room that offered books, computers, drinks and food, as well as kind volunteers to lend us sweet words of hope. It again was a much needed escape from the incredible stress we were under.


They will have weekly tours available to anyone interested starting in August on Tuesdays at Noon and 5:30pm. Simply email Cathy Hall for information Cathy@rmh-chapelhill.org
To find out more about this important charity: http://www.rmh-chapelhill.org/
The many ways you can volunteer your time or donate money: http://www.rmh-chapelhill.org/section/how-you-can-help
To follow the latest news on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RMHChapelHill
About the expansion: http://makeroomforhope.com/
