A Family Story... 

December started out rough for David and his 10-year-old daughter, Mary. Like so many other Americans, David was laid off from work just weeks before the holidays. With no income and nothing in savings, life was uncertain to say the least. When Mary began experiencing crippling headaches, doctors blamed them on these stressful circumstances. Unfortunately, when the pain from her headaches began to travel down into her arms, it was obvious that stress was not the problem. A cat scan revealed that Mary had a tumor on her cerebellum. In the days following, Mary was life-flighted to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center where she underwent brain surgery as the first step in her fight against the tumor.

In the whirlwind of events following Mary’s diagnosis, the last thing on David’s mind was where he and Mary would stay while they were in Phoenix, nearly 250 miles from their home. Fortunately, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Phoenix (RMHC) was there for them when they needed it most. Financial hardship made staying in a hotel out of the question, but RMHC was able to provide a loving home-away-from-home for David and Mary during this difficult time. Now, David and Mary return to the Ronald McDonald House weekly for her chemotherapy and radiation appointments. “The House makes things so much more comfortable for us while we are here. It makes this easier for us,” David says. With over a year’s worth of treatment in Mary’s future, David and Mary still have a long road ahead of them but they can take comfort in knowing that the Ronald McDonald House will be there every step of the way.

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