My story begins in Myrtle Beach, where my 21-month-old son Nolan and I were visiting my parents. I had noticed before our trip that he had minor bruises and a lack of appetite, but my pediatrician summed it up to being a toddler and teething. Upon landing in Myrtle Beach, my father was alarmed by Nolan's appearance, and we immediately went to a walk-in clinic. From there, we were sent to the emergency room where his blood counts confirmed a parent's biggest fear: a diagnosis of leukemia.
We were rushed by ambulance to MUSC's Children's Hospital where he spent 12 days in the oncology unit. To say the diagnosis was heartbreaking is an understatement. My husband flew down from Connecticut, and we were lucky enough to stay at the Ronald McDonald House, half a block from Nolan. This house was a place of refuge for us, with home-cooked meals, laundry and Gardy, the house dog, who wagged his tail every time we came "home". We even got connected with a local hair salon through the house. But what we really appreciated was the local love, familiarity and respite through one of the worst times in our lives.
Today, Nolan is two years old and has been undergoing chemotherapy on a regular basis. He still has three years of treatment to go, but we are so happy to have an end date in sight. God bless our little warriors!
Your future gift to RMHC Charleston can help more families find comfort in their time of need. Contact Alix Tew at alix@rmhcharleston.org or 843-723-7957 Ext. 303 to learn about your giving options.