When our daughter Nora was 7 weeks old, she was rushed to Greenville Memorial Hospital with acute heart failure symptoms. Within the day, we had been airlifted to MUSC and Nora was in the Pediatric Cardiac ICU, awaiting surgery to fix a previously undetected heart defect.
In the midst of our disbelief and terror at this sudden life turn, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston opened their doors to us and provided a room, meals and comforting kindness. After two weeks that seemed like an eternity, we headed home with Nora, thanking the staff for providing so much for us.
Little did we know that Nora would bounce back and forth from MUSC for the next couple months, and eventually get admitted for eight straight months in the PCICU, receiving a lifesaving heart transplant in the process.
The Ronald McDonald House was truly our home during this time. Not enough can be said about the people that make this resource available for parents like us. It was such a blessing to have a home base so close to the hospital, and one less thing to worry about while trying to keep a handle on Nora’s medical treatment, work (often remotely from RMHC Charleston), selling our home in Greenville and generally keeping our sanity.
We will always be thankful for the staff and donors of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston.
Eddie and Emily Williams
254 total nights spent at RMHC Charleston
Provide Comfort for Families
There are many ways you can help families, like the Williams family, during their times of need. To learn how you can make an impact at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston, contact Alix Tew at 843-723-7957 Ext. 303 or alix@rmhcharleston.org.