We were blessed to stay at the Ronald McDonald house and use the facilities at Cardinal Glennon in St. Louis for multiple stays. We had our preemie twins Chase and Tatum at 32 weeks. When they graduated from the NICU we knew they would have to have open-heart surgeries. Our son and daughter had back-to-back open heart surgeries in the winter and we were at the hospital for a long period of time. It was so nice to be able to take a shower and a break in the Ronald McDonald room at the hospital. It was always fully stocked with snacks, drinks, and toiletries. It was nice to have a washer and dryers to use being so far from home. During our stay, a room opened up at the house and we were so thankful to take turns having a good night’s sleep not too far from the hospital if anything happened. It was so nice to have meals to eat and not have to worry about food. It leaves more time to focus on your child’s needs and not have to stress about the financials through it all. We love saving our tabs for the cause and bringing them when we know we will be at the hospital. Our kids had both their second open hearts and we knew we would have a place to go if needed. It’s comforting to know there is such a place to step away when you feel so overwhelmed. The volunteers are so kind and generous. Our son will be having his third open heart in a few months and we look forward to being able to use the house and room again. We can’t thank everyone enough for all the support for our twins and everyone who donates to such a good cause for families like ours.

From all of us,
Kaela, Jason, Elena, Chase, and Tatum