Hospital Gratitude: Ronald McDonald House

Dear Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio,

 

Hundreds of families stream through your doors each week, and you find each one a room, serving them with great love and care.  You give, and you give and you give, offering up hope to families coping with hospital stays.  Without asking anything in return, you serve families carrying the weight of their child's medical needs, and it is no small thing.  We were one of those families twice in the past few months (and will be again next week) and we want you to know how very grateful we are.    

 Finally spotting your sign at the end of our long, anxious car rides is such a welcome site. 
Ronald's red & white socks just make us laugh, and the giggles are a gift.   Evelyn is not so sure, but she's warming up. 

 You've welcomed us with waiting, comfy and clean rooms just across from the hospital, and then pampered us with check in toys and treats.  When we arrive, we're heavy knowing medical procedures are to come for our two year old.  It's a loaded moment, and your kindnesses have mattered. 

 Twice you've given us pre-hospital admission and pre-surgery meals and memories.

And just because kids need to be kids, you've created a space where a little girl can imagine she's a fairy princess. 

Even after our hospital admissions, when we'd been there for days, you still had more to give.  Toys magically appeared by our door, bringing smiles and much needed distraction. 

And your volunteers?  We hope they know they matter.  That they are appreciated.  That each meal they prepared, the toys they donated, each room they cleaned, the handcrafted toy car they gave, the box of bakery cupcakes left on the counter, the smile from the volunteer at the front desk, all mattered tremendously.  We did not get to hug all those volunteers to express our thanks.  We just found the hot meals waiting and gratefully dished up comforting plates. 

Nevertheless, gratitude overflows. 

 

Seeing moms and their kids, churches and groups of company employees giving away their Thursday nights and Saturday mornings to volunteer restores hope.  There is much kindness in the world after all. 

And the ladies who bake cookies almost every afternoon?  Oh my.  They could have made them at home.  It would have been easier.  But the smell of peanut butter blossoms baking on a cold afternoon after hours of sitting by a hospital bed? 

 

Tell them it makes all the difference. 

 

 One of the bakers might just have received one of my teary-eyed hugs. 

You matter, Ronald McDonald House, to our family and so many others. You step in at hard moments and take the hand of families who are physically and emotionally exhausted. 

 

We were distracted when we were there and didn't fully express the level of gratitude that we felt.  So, thank you. The gift you offer matters. 

 

With much gratitude,

Our Team