Stories
Vicki and Jessica’s story
Mum, Vicki, met Sophie and her daughter Amelia late last year while staying at Ronald McDonald House Manchester. The pair bonded over their shared experiences; both Amelia and Vicki’s daughter Jessica needed a tracheostomy to enable them to breath. Sophie became Vicki’s go-to person during the national lockdown in March, with Ronald McDonald House Manchester providing a haven for the two to support one another. Vicki said having someone to talk to about her situation, was a lifeline.
We both had supportive families and friends at home, however, it was remarkable how good it felt to be able to talk to someone that understood what you are going through,” she said. “Other people can listen and comfort, but it takes someone who has been through the same situations to totally understand.
We have all made lifelong friendships and as the girls grow up, we will always remind them of these times and how their mums supported each other, when living in a hospital through a Worldwide Pandemic.
Letitia and Loraya’s story
Loraya’s family stayed with us in both Southampton and Oxford on and off for the first 18 months of her life, even spending two Christmases in our Southampton House. She has had several surgeries and two heart bypasses, all before her second birthday. Having the Houses to stay in as the family bounced between cities and hospital wards provided a glimpse of normality, in what was otherwise a “nightmare” of a situation, Loraya’s mum, Letitia, said.
It was good for the children to have a bit of routine while we were there, too. I was able to bring them home from school and we’d go to the Ronald McDonald House and do normal children stuff, and I could still be there for Loraya at the same time.
It’s the little things that they do in the House, the moments of fun and the stress relief when you’ve had a bad day. To a lot of people, it may not seem like a lot, but to us, it made a huge difference.
