Colton's Story

Escanaba, MI

Seven-month-old Colton is a familiar face at Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Wisconsin. When Colton was two weeks old he was diagnosed with a heart defect. He was at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin for six weeks before he was able to get a heart transplant. Then Colton got a new heart.

Colton’s family tells us they noticed the welcoming atmosphere and the homelike quality of the surroundings as soon as they walked into Ronald McDonald House. They found relief from the long stressful hours spent in the hospital.

For many weeks Ronald McDonald House was their home-away-from-home. Staff and volunteers provided family dinners, art therapy, and yoga classes. Our van service to and from the hospital was very important for Colton’s mother and grandmother, who didn’t have a car. They made friends with other families staying at the House, finding community, comfort, and support.

“Without Ronald McDonald House and all the people here, I don’t know what we would have done,” says Colton’s mother. “I can’t even
imagine it.”

Tony's Story

Madison, WI

Tony was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. Steve and Staci, Tony’s parents, needed a support system to help Tony at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and also care for his three sisters at home in Madison.

The Ronald McDonald House provided private extended stay accommodations as well as community space in which to escape the isolation of the hospital. “The Ronald McDonald House is so much more than a place to stay,” Steve and Staci agreed. “The medical team was responsible for getting Tony through his transplant and recovery. The Ronald McDonald House was responsible for getting our family through. It’s where we kept ourselves together so we could use our energy on the important things.”

Even happier than the day they got a room at the House was the day when they checked out 95 days later. Tony is back to out-patient status, and well enough to live at home in Madison.

Michael’s Story

Zion, IL

Michael is thirteen years old and he is winning a tough battle against pelvic cancer. He spent four months having chemotherapy treatments and surgeries at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. In the beginning, Michael and his mom and dad were driving back and forth to their home in Zion, IL and it was taking a heavy toll on them both financially and emotionally.

        When Michael needed to spend two straight months in the hospital, his mom and dad moved into the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin and it was a “blessing” because they could spend every moment possible with their son.

          It’s helpful to spend time with other families at the Ronald McDonald House, who have a unique perspective on their situation. “You meet a perfect stranger here, and you’ve got a lot of things in common, so you can really sit down and speak your mind, and share what you’re going through with them,” says Michael Sr.

          Michael’s treatments have gone so well that his doctors think Michael will be able to live cancer-free.

Brandon’s Story

Dale, WI

Brandon had just become a big brother when he was accidently run over by a lawn mower, causing him severe facial injuries down to the bone on the left side of his face and severing his ear.

For two months, while Brandon endured intensive plastic surgery, his parents, older sister and newborn baby sister found solace at the Ronald McDonald House. Brandon’s stay in the hospital coincided with the Swine Flu epidemic, so the newborn was not allowed into the hospital. This meant that Brandon’s mom and dad had to rotate between visiting Brandon at the hospital and staying with the baby at the House. They say that they never could have managed without a safe haven close to their hospitalized son.

Brandon’s parents say that the Ronald McDonald House provided them with a supportive network of other families in similar situations. It also gave them financial relief by not having to commute two hours from their home and the peace of mind to know that their child was safe at Children's Hospital right across the street.

Betty’s Story

When Betty was 12 years old, she was diagnosed with leukemia. She began treatment at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin but still her illness worsened and Betty sank into a coma for four months. Her parents then moved into the Ronald McDonald House to be by Betty’s side every day. There, they found hope and support while they prayed for their daughter’s recovery. Betty finally woke up from the coma, but doctors had to amputate both her legs below the knee because of poor circulation.

Betty and her parents moved back into the Ronald McDonald House for the second time as she continued her recovery. The family likes to relax in the House’s Secret Garden and participate in the dog therapy program at the House. The Ronald McDonald House has been not only a residence for Betty’s family; it is a haven from the chaos of hospital visits. Betty says that being there has helped them interact with other families going through similar situations and helps them realize they are not alone.

Simon’s Story

Simon was born 15 weeks premature with life-threatening G.I. complications when he was quickly brought to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Anxious and afraid, parents Joann and Jon moved into Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin conveniently located across the street from the hospital.

In an attempt to keep the family together, 2 year old Anakin joined his parents at the Ronald McDonald House and adjusted easily to his new home-away-from-home. Anakin loved playing with the train table in the colorful playroom and was often heard crying, “Choo Choo!” around the House. Anakin and his parents were so grateful for the art and dog therapy programs to help them cope with their worries.

With her husband away at work much of the time, Joann found comfort and made friends at the nightly family dinners. This opportunity to connect with other families made her feel like she was a part of a community and helped her to forget her loneliness during the day.

After living at the Ronald McDonald House for three months, Joann and Jon finally got to take their new baby home to Green Bay.

Evan and Finn's Story

Twins Evan and Finn were born at 24 weeks and needed life-saving pediatric care in Milwaukee. When Evan needed major surgery to repair his heart, his mom, Megan, and his brother moved into the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin. Located across the street from Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Megan and Finn were able to visit Evan every day for more than four months as he fought for his life.

Finn also needed specialized care to help him with his reflux condition, but, was able to live at the Ronald McDonald House during his treatment. Big sister, Sophie visited often and took advantage of the art therapy program along with her mom where they painted, sculpted and created healing pieces of art. They also took advantage of free zoo passes.

Despite the separation of her family, Megan found peace of mind and relaxation at the Ronald McDonald House. She was able to focus on her kids and her inner strength to move forward with optimism for the future.

Nic’s Story
Monona, WI

Batman faces epic struggles, but he always comes out a winner. Five-year-old Nic Volker (who insists he be called Batman) has taken on just about every medical challenge that can be thrown at a kid. His body is attacking itself, riddling his abdomen, intestines, and other organs with holes, leaving wounds that don’t heal. Because doctors haven’t seen any other patient in the world with this disease, they finally gave it a name: NV1, for Nic Volker. Nic’s mother, Amylynne, has stayed at the Ronald McDonald House for over 300 nights.

"Having a sick child is not only draining emotionally, but also financially. Can you imagine how much a hotel and meals would have cost?" Amylynne wonders. "I don't know how we could make it without the Ronald McDonald House. It is a lifeline. But more importantly, the love, kindness and sanity the House provides me is a priceless gift."

Dawson’s Story
Edgar, Wisconsin

At age one, little Dawson is already a star. His celebrity status started when he became the first baby to be saved by a newborn screen for severe immune deficiency. "There’s been only one other reported case" said Dawson’s mother Melissa. "He probably would have died without the testing." The family moved into the Milwaukee Ronald McDonald House for Dawson's bone marrow transplant at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. They were at the House for almost six months.

Dawson was able to return home when he was 7 months old. Because of the surgery on his stomach, he hadn’t had much tummy time. But within three days, he was rolling. In two weeks he was crawling. Now, he’s working on walking. "He’s had so many divineinterventions," she says. "He’s a pretty special baby."

Evan and Ian’s Story
Waukegan, Ilinois

Ian and his family have lived at the Milwaukee Ronald McDonald House for over a year. Ian’s digestive system doesn’t function. All of his food comes through IV and feeding tubes and he can only drink thickened water, his mother, Jaime, says. This stay at the House is the family’s third and the longest. It’s also the first time that they’ve had to stay for Ian’s older brother Evan, 10. On the day the family checked into the House, they learned that Evan had leukemia.

At the House, Evan enjoys getting books from the library and watching cable, which the House added this year. His brother, Ian, enjoys the Secret Garden and talking with his friends among the staff. For Jaime, the House has provided an affordable option for her, her sons and her grandmother Shirley, who cares for Ian when Jaime is at the hospital.

"I don’t know what we would do without the House," she says. "They are a God send."