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"It was like being a guest at an aunt's House..." The Valenzuela Triplets Summer 2008 Maria Valenzuela knew about the Ronald McDonald House before she arrived, she just didn’t know what to expect when she got there. “It was like being a guest at an aunt’s house,” she said about her three-week stay while her newborn triplets, just over 3 pounds each, remained in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. “Ronald McDonald House gave me an opportunity to see how good some people can be.” The triplets – two boys and a girl – had no health problems, but their doctor wanted to give the babies time to build their strength before sending the family home to Yuma.  | Ronald and The Valenzuela Family |
Maria’s husband, Oscar, had arranged for a room at the original Ronald McDonald House at 501 E. Roanoke. For Somerton-born Maria, it turned out to be much more than just a place to stay. “Being at the House gave me a different perspective. I was able to talk to so many people about situations I had never been exposed to,” she said. “I was very bummed out that my kids were three pounds and then I spoke with a woman whose son was only a pound and a half. It was helpful to have someone to talk to. I learned a lot about myself and about others.” Much of her interaction with other House guests came during meals in the common dining room. “Eating together was wonderful because it forced me to socialize,” she said. “I probably would have been depressed if I had been in my room by myself. It was helpful to have someone to talk to and to hear what other families were going through.” And, to have someone anticipate her needs. “I’m usually a little shy, and there were things that I needed, like a breast pump, that the staff seemed to know right away,” she said. “They made sure I had everything I needed without having to ask for it.” She did ask for one thing, though: her family. “I hadn’t seen my other children (4 and 5 year olds) in a month, and when I asked if I could bring my family to the House, they said ‘yes,’” Maria said. “What a great benefit to have them all there with me. It really kept me from being depressed.” After nearly a month in NICU, the triplets were discharged at the end of July allowing Maria, Oscar and their family to leave their “home away from home” and return to their own home. “I hope never to have to stay at the Ronald McDonald House again, but it’s so nice to know it’s there,” she said. “It is so beautiful that they help people in need, and I never felt like I was getting a handout. I just want to thank everybody who was there.” Our Families' Stories
Since 1985, Ronald McDonald House of Phoenix has provided a home away from home for over 26,000 families. Every family shares many of the same losses: being away from the support of their family and friends and the comfort of their own home. Many face financial hardship as they pay medical expenses and continue to support their home while being unable to work because of their child’s medical needs. They all struggle with the challenge of caring for a child who severely ill or injured and find strength from each other at the Ronald McDonald House.
These are some more of their stories.
Spring 2008 Nathan's Story  | Carolee Martin’s second home isn’t really hers. It just feels that way. “It’s my home away from home,” the 57-year-old grandmother says. She doesn’t own it, hasn’t decorated it and doesn’t even fill the refrigerator, but she is as much a part of the heart and soul of the Ronald McDonald House of Phoenix as the home is part of her. “The people there have arms that go all around you,” she says. “They are a godsend.” Carolee and her grandson, Nathan, are regular visitors to the Ronald McDonald House. |
“Nathan turned 13 on Nov. 9 and is the oldest child worldwide with his condition,” Carolee said. “Most children with full mitochondrial disorder and Leigh’s Syndrome live only a year to 18 months. If Nathan was an 8-cylindar motor, he only has three running. He’s our forever baby and an inspiration to us.”
Leigh’s Syndrome is a rare inherited neurometabolic disorder characterized by degeneration of the central nervous system. There is no cure.
“How many families can say they truly have an inspiration in their home, someone incapable of doing wrong,” Carolee asks. “We feel very blessed. When we think we’re tired of being on our feet all day, we know he would love to use his. He teaches us even without speaking.”
Because of the incredibly debilitating nature of the disease and Nathan’s weakened immune system, he constantly battles infections and medical complications that require regular trips to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
“We’re fortunate if we get a whole month when we don’t have to travel to Phoenix,” Carolee says. “That’s where Ronald McDonald House has become so important for us. Ronald McDonald House has meant Nathan’s survival. We can’t afford a motel every time we go to Phoenix. Without Ronald McDonald House, Nathan wouldn’t have been able to go to clinics or the hospital and we wouldn’t have been able to stay with him. Many times, he stays in the hospital three to four months at a time.”
Their Lake Havasu City living room is outfitted more like an intensive care unit in a hospital.
“When you walk in, it’s a little shocking. Lots of tubes and ventilators. You’re walking into what looks like an intensive care unit, but this is our home and we have Nathan in our living room,” Carolee explains.
“The quality of care we receive at Ronald McDonald House is a blessing,” Carolee says. “We are able to stay somewhere safe, somewhere warm in the middle of a big city like Phoenix. It’s a place we can shower, brush our teeth and sit down on a real couch for a few minutes rather than in a hospital. It’s a real comfort for so many of us.”
The House also provides a little respite for Carolee.
“Staying at the House takes a tremendous amount of pressure off. The essence of the House is serenity and comfort,” she says.
Fall 2007 The Herrera Family Kingman, Arizona When 10-year-old Michael’s family brought him from Kingman to the Valley for a bone marrow transplant to treat sickle cell disease, there were no assurances the procedure would work.
After the transplant, Michael suffered setbacks including a series of strokes, the need for blood transfusions every day for two months to rebuild his damaged immune system and 18 hours on life support.
The one link that kept the family together was the Ronald McDonald House of Phoenix, where the Herreras have been living since last December as Michael moves forward on the path to recovery.
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“Ronald McDonald House has been a true blessing for us,” said Michael’s mother, Kristi. “One of the things Michael misses most is his brothers and being together and Ronald McDonald House has allowed us to be together as a family in a very comfortable place." Michael’s father, Patrick, understands that fact only too well. “I would have lost everything we owned if we didn’t have Ronald McDonald House to stay at. I would have had to quit my job and try to rent a place in Phoenix,” said Michael’s father, Patrick. “I can’t even describe what Ronald McDonald House has meant for us.” Kristi agreed, “Having a place to live, to eat and be together really relieves a lot of the stress,” she said. “We always have weekends together as a family. When you’re having a transplant, you’re very limited as to where you can go, what you can eat or have to drink. Being here let’s us maintain Michael’s physical health at the same time it lets us be a family. The experience here, the people, and what they make available to us has been the best.”
Fall 2006 LaDonna Sky Jacket, Our Ray of Sunshine by
Veronica James & Kenneth Jacket
As most people know, anyone who has stayed at the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) has a reason. Unfortunately, all of those reasons are due to having a sick child. Whether it is a newborn fighting for that one chance to thrive, a young child diagnosed with a debilitating disease, or a teen that is recovering from an accident. Our story is no different than that of any other family we’ve had the pleasure to meet at RMH.
 | LaDonna Sky Jacket was born on May 4, 2005 at Fort Defiance Indian Hospital in Fort Defiance, AZ. A full-term baby, she weighted 5 lbs. 13 oz., was 18 in. long with a head full of wavy black hair and a smile that can brighten anyone’s face. Her physical disability was prominent at birth; a club arm on the right side with both the absence of her radius bone and thumb. Doctors had yet to discover her internal birth defects. Before the sun had a chance to wake the world, LaDonna was air evacted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH) for further medical care. Imagine being a new parent away from your day-old newborn during her greatest moment of need and then faced with an uncertainty of having a future with your child. After being discharged from the hospital, we quickly drove to Phoenix. We arrived at PCH just in time to sign consent forms for LaDonna’s first major surgery. During the six hour procedure, a fistula between her esophagus and stomach was repaired and the pathway that connected her lungs to her esophagus was eliminated. LaDonna was on IV fluids for two weeks and then on to NG tube feeds. Over the next few weeks she gained weight, continued to thrive and finally became less dependant on the NICU staff for daily care. During LaDonna’s hospital stay, we educated ourselves on her diagnosis – the VATER syndrome. |
After nearly three weeks at PCH, we arrived home to Mishongnovi Village in Second Mesa, AZ. Preparations were made for LaDonna’s baby naming ceremony. She is an enrolled member of the Hopi Tribe, but also has some Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and Navajo blood. According to cultural traditions, offspring take the mother’s identity so LaDonna is a member of the Pumpkin Clan. When LaDonna was presented to the dawning sun with traditional rituals and gifts, she was given her Hopi name of Sikyahonmana meaning yellow bear girl. Several weeks later, LaDonna began her “on the go lifestyle” for continued medical care at Hopi Health Care Center, in Flagstaff and in Phoenix. She also started home based speech and occupational therapy. The family’s hopes were high for LaDonna as she continued to develop and grow. It wasn’t long before LaDonna was hospitalized again at PCH for pneumonia caused by silent aspiration and monitoring of her feeding tube. After a week, we returned home but were required to make visits to Hopi Health Center every other day to monitor LaDonna’s condition. |  |
Now 15 months old, LaDonna has had two of the three scheduled hand surgeries to reconstruct her right hand and arm. Also, we hope her g-tube will be removed soon because she’s transitioning well in learning to self feed. LaDonna is starting to walk and talk with no plans to slow down. Our family never imagined that having a child with special needs could be so rewarding. Our little girl has given us the strength, courage, and hope that even in the toughest and most stressful time, if she can withstand all of this and still laugh and smile, so can we. LaDonna brings much love and happiness to our lives. It’s remarkable that she has made a difference on even those with just a chance encounter. |  |
From the first over-night stay at Ronald McDonald House and through the on-going weekly returns, our family has come to see RMH as our second home. The staff and volunteers always welcome every family with open arms. From the moment you meet them, they are able to provide comfort and, most of all, understanding. Knowing that you’re not alone in this fast-paced world is a comfort to both your family and your child. Our family is grateful to have the chance to be a part of the RMH family and all the support given to us from everyone at the Ronald McDonald House.
Spring 2006 Daily Doses of Miracle By Karen Remmetter
Thanks to daily doses of miracles, Corie Hanna Remmetter is now a courageous nineteen year old and a survivor of a severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
Imagine having your whole life ahead of you, being a confident, bright young high school graduate who earned her way into an out-of-state college. Imagine being physically active in ballet and jazz classes, dance team, tennis team and immersed in the fine arts of oil painting, drawing, ceramics, choir, and enjoyment of music.….. and in one split second, your life is changed forever in a car accident. 
| Corie, an 18 year old freshman at the University of Arizona, had completed her first week of college classes. On August 27, 2005, she was headed home with her new college roommate who lives in Chandler, AZ. Corie was a restrained passenger in the right back seat of her roommate’s car as they traveled up the Beeline Highway. In attempting to make a left turn, the driver lost control of the car and crashed off the side of the road. Corie was airlifted by helicopter to the Trauma 1 Unit of Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center where she remained in critical condition for the next month. She sustained a severe Traumatic Brain Injury with diffuse axonal injury and multiple skull fractures. She was in a coma, had respiratory failure, high |
fevers, infections of the brain/spinal fluid, sinus tachycardia and a broken lower lumbar. Corie also sustained a seriously damaged right eye resulting in blindness and nerve damage which prevents her eyelid from ever opening again. The vision in her left eye is also affected by the TBI, preventing her from ever driving again.
Imagine being a parent, 1300 miles away during your child’s greatest moment of need. Being faced with the uncertainty of the future, the immediate fears of the present and being told you’re in for a long haul. Imagine a parent’s worst nightmare with your child’s health and life at risk only you wake up from nightmares, and this is real.
Where do you turn for help? How do you begin to adjust when life is forever changed? For my family, the medical challenge is TBI. For other families, the challenges are a host of birth defects, cancers, childhood diseases, countless accidents, and medical mysteries. Where do families begin?
My first step came when I walked into the warmth and comfort of the Ronald McDonald House in Phoenix. Centrally located among some of Phoenix’s finest hospitals, it provides a haven for families away from their homes and in need of rest and security. The staff and volunteers are exemplary. They understand that we didn’t expect these medical challenges and provide compassionate attention to the unique circumstances of each family. Some families are here for short periods of times, returning for occasional follow-up treatments. Others are here for months at a time during critical care procedures in the ICU.
Corie’s survival of these multiple injuries is a miracle. Since August 27, daily doses of miracles have occurred. She remained in the ICU until Oct 5th when she was transferred to Banner Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Institute. As an in-patient for the next two months, she began acute rehabilitation for her TBI. Here she learned to breathe on her own, talk again, move her hands, arms, feet and legs. She learned to sit and use a wheelchair. She had daily sessions of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, music therapy, and recreational therapy. She patiently learned to eat again, starting with weeks of practice of sipping liquids, swallowing, chewing soft foods and managing the fine/gross motor skills to hold her utensils. She practiced daily life skills such as brushing her teeth, combing her hair, bathing, and getting dressed by herself. She had to overcome incontinence and constant fatigue that is characteristic of all TBI survivors. Her lack of balance is a constant safety issue. Her memory and cognition were severely impaired, and she continues to struggle to remember the names of people, places, and things that were all once so familiar to her. Her double vision creates enormous challenges for every motor task in the day, especially reading. But Corie has beaten the greatest of odds thanks to God and the prayers of so many family and friends. Faithfully and courageously, Corie strives to heal. It’s been an amazing six month journey of tragedy, heartache, and recovery--an astonishing journey back from brain injury. Our lives are now defined by the Before and After the accident. She wants to ‘get her life back to normal’; and yet, with the help of neuropsychologists, she tries to understand and accept that it will never be quite the same. Corie is filled with gratitude and appreciation of life that she has never experienced at this level before. She has met the most remarkable people and has received such amazing acts of kindness. Whatever the medical circumstance, the common denominator among all of the families staying here at the RMH is the love and care of our children in an atmosphere of support, compassion, and understanding. I’m very thankful to stay at the Ronald McDonald House as Corie continues to recover.
|  Corie and Karen, August 2006 |
Fall 2005 Devin Leroy Bower
Most Inspirational Athlete  | Devin Bower, recently selected the Most Inspirational Athlete by the Verde Valley Regional Swim Team, participated in the Arizona State Special Olympics swim competition in Surprise on October 8-9. It was a momentous weekend for Barbara, Floyd and Devin Bower. Barbara and Floyd watched proudly as Devin won two bronze medals in the competition. The day was also exciting for Dorene Hay, Devin’s physical therapist and the swim coach for the Cottonwood Swim Team and Verde Valley Regional Swim Team. With only five months of instruction from Ms. Hay, Devin learned the freestyle and breast strokes and won in those competitions. The 50-meter freestyle race was only minutes away and Devin wasn’t feeling well. With his medical history, Devin’s mom had to determine if he was suffering from a bad case of butterflies or something more serious. |
Barbara offered him encouragement. Devin finally joined the other racers. Devin rolled his wheel chair close to the starting block, walked slowly to the pool and slid into the water. The gun went off; Devin’s freestyle stroke was smooth and steady. He rarely came up for air. Devin won his first bronze of two bronze medals.
Barbara Bower’s first stay at Ronald McDonald House was in October, 1994, 11 years ago. The excitement of having their first baby was quickly shattered when Barbara and Floyd learned Devin was born with a hole in his back and the nerves of the spinal cord exposed; the result of spina bifida in which the spinal cord does not completely close during development in the womb. Devin was transported to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for surgery and Barb had no place to stay. A nurse told Barbara about Ronald McDonald House and it wasn’t long before she moved in for the first of many visits to her new home away from home. Barbara and Floyd suddenly realized that, not only was their baby at risk, but their home life was at risk as well. Floyd had to return to Cottonwood to work so their growing bills could be paid. Barbara knew she would not be returning to work any time soon, if ever.
Barbara and Devin have been coming to their home away from home for 11 years now. They have stayed at Ronald McDonald House for Devin’s MRIs, CTs, X-rays, clinics, appointments and surgeries, totaling thirty-one so far with another later this month.
Devin has come a long way from being told he wouldn’t walk. He began walking at 15 months using a walker and eventually graduated to using ankle foot orthodics. As he has grown, Devin’s body can’t support the additional weight for very long. His orthodics now extend to his knees to help support his back and he uses armband crutches. Devin recently began using a wheel chair part-time to prevent fatigue at school, shopping and for distances. His migraine headaches are under better control now with medications.
A full-time 5th grade student, Devin has a busy schedule. He attends physical therapy and occupational therapy weekly. He plays VIP soccer on weekends and swims on the Cottonwood Swim Team. Barbara said “To look at him and form a first opinion you’d say there is nothing wrong with him and he is doing great. I know really what he deals with. He struggles a lot with not wanting to do his daily medical stuff. Devin has been a teacher to many nurses over the years, it’s not every day kids have so many foreign things in their bodies.”
To name just a few, Devin has two VP shunts to drain the fluid off his brain and has a syrnix shunt in his spinal cord. Devin has had decompression done to make room for his brain and both shinbones broken and rotated to make his feet as straight as they can be. |  |
Barbara said “All in all I have a wonderful child who I’ve been blessed with. I’d love for him to have known a normal life and I wish I could take away his pain and sufferings, but at the same time, I wouldn’t change who he is as a person and the things we go through in life make us who we are.”
Devin Bower, at age 11, has clearly provided inspiration in many lives.
Summer 2005 Stephanie and Aaron Peckenpaugh It’s a long way back home to Evansville, Indiana for Stephanie and Aaron Peckenpaugh. Quite unexpectedly, Phoenix became their temporary home in early January. They didn’t know Ronald McDonald House of Phoenix would give them the support and comfort they needed in the months to come.
Like any young couple excited about their first pregnancy, Stephanie and Aaron were looking forward to their first addition. During a routine examination, they were told that not only one, but two, three, four babies were a possibility. Concerned but happy, Stephanie and Aaron relied on the expertise of their local doctor. It wasn’t long before one baby died and they quickly discovered they needed specialized attention. Searching the web, Stephanie found a team of doctors in Phoenix specializing in multiple births. The Peckenpaughs thought they had plenty of time to plan their trip to Arizona.
At twenty weeks into the pregnancy, Stephanie and Aaron were on an emergency trip to Phoenix in the middle of the night. The specialists at Good Samaritan Hospital were consulted; Stephanie needed diligent care and bed rest to carry the babies for at least thirty-five weeks. Stephanie and Aaron watched and waited as their motel bills rose to over $2,500. On February 22, 2005, Sophia, Sydney, and Aiden were born at twenty-eight weeks; weighing 2 pounds, 2 pounds 6 ounces, and 2 pounds 1 ounce, respectively.
 | The wait was over but Stephanie and Aaron needed an affordable place to live for the next few months while the babies matured. Ronald McDonald House offered the perfect solution; providing low cost/no cost accommodations for families traveling to Phoenix to receive medical care for their children. On February 26, they moved into their new home away from home. After spending stressful hours at the hospital, they would return to the House for a good meal, a warm shower and a comfortable bed. They could devote their energy caring for their babies rather than worrying about the details of daily living. The fear of losing another baby became a reality when Aiden developed lung complications and ended his struggle two weeks later in the arms of his parents. On tube feedings and oxygen, Sophia and Sydney continued their fight to live. |
Along with supportive staff, volunteers and the other families staying at Ronald McDonald House, Stephanie and Aaron have been blessed with the assistance of others. Aaron’s employer, Progressive Insurance, temporarily transferred him to Phoenix, enabling him to continue working. The Peckenpaughs had visits from their parents, grandparents and friends. Stephanie’s dad returned to Indiana with one of Ronald’s shiny red boots, determined to collect money for Ronald McDonald House of Phoenix at his business in Evansville. Sophia and Sydney remained in Phoenix Children’s Hospital and continued to grow over the next few months with the loving care of their parents and hospital staff. With Sophia weighing 5 pounds 10 ounces and Sydney weighing 7 pounds 1 ounce, the Peckenpaughs eagerly returned home to Indiana on May 19. Stephanie said, “We just really want to say how grateful we are to Ronald McDonald House for everything they have done.” |  |
90% of the families who stay at Ronald McDonald House of Phoenix are from Arizona. The Peckenpaughs represent the remaining 10% who come from other states and countries in search of medical care for their children. The request for rooms at the Phoenix House continues to grow with Arizona’s booming population and as Valley hospitals become more specialized and gain renown for excellence in treating pediatric patients. |  Sydney and Sophie at 1 year old |
Winter 2004 Wesley Farmer Twelve years ago when Wesley Farmer was just 5 years old, doctors in Texas told his mother, Penny that he had less than a year to live. Wesley had a spider cyst covering three-fourths of his brain. The diagnosis was unacceptable to Penny who took Wesley to other doctors in the state. When a doctor suggested that the Farmers travel to Arizona to see Dr. Kim Manwaring a Neurosurgeon at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Penny made the call. When they met with Dr. Manwaring he told Penny that Wesley needed emergency surgery to try and remove as much of the cyst as possible, adding that if Wesley waited any longer for surgery he would lose his eyesight, hearing and speech within 5 days. Penny sat in the waiting room for the six and a half hour surgery, not knowing what to expect when they rolled Wesley into the recovery room. That’s what Penny remembers most about that day, the recovery room. When she walked in she expected to see her little boy still unconscious and possibly swollen and bruised form the surgery. However that wasn’t the case, “Wesley had just been rolled out, he wasn’t swollen at all, he opened his eyes and said “Happy Birthday Mom”. Isn’t that funny I had forgotten my birthday, but he still remembered even with everything that was going on, that’s just the kind of kid he is.”
Upon that first visit to Phoenix to meet with Dr. Manwaring, he had suggested that Penny contact The Ronald McDonald House to see if they had any room for her. That trip marked the beginning of a twelve-year relationship between the Farmer Family and The Ronald McDonald House of Phoenix. The Farmers have stayed at the RMH for all 16 of Wesley’s surgeries.
 | That trip also marked the first time the Farmers had left their home state of Texas. Penny said, “I was just so impressed with the Ronald McDonald House that first stay because everyone was just so sweet, like family. I hadn’t really been out of Texas before and it was scary to leave home with a sick child to go to a place where you don’t have any friends or family”. Over the years the Ronald McDonald House has given Penny the opportunity to develop friendships with other parents in similar situations as well as with staff and volunteers. “I’d come home from a really horrible day at the hospital and I’d be out of it. There is always someone around whether it is the staff, volunteers, or other parents to comfort and talk to me”. |
The Ronald McDonald House has truly been a home away from home for the Farmers over the years. Whether it’s fundraising for their local Ronald McDonald Houses in Texas, buying bikes for the House in Phoenix, sweeping the patio, buying items for the wish list, donating to the share-a-night program or simply cleaning around the House, the Farmers try to give back to the House and the organization that Penny says she couldn’t have survived the past twelve years without. “I don’t think people realize what these four walls mean to the people who stay here, but if you’ve ever been to the Ronald McDonald House it’s wonderful, they’re my family. It’s been a real blessing. There is so much love there; it truly is the House that Love Built.”
During the most difficult times Penny weighed only 90 pounds, but as Wesley’s health improved so has hers. Last April Penny married Ricky Huff, who after visiting the Ronald McDonald House last spring supports Penny’s dedication and love for the House. Penny is also actively involved in the Locks for Love Foundation, which also benefits seriously ill children. Penny has grown out her own hair and donated it on five separate occasions.
| The Farmers last stayed at the House in November 2002 for approximately five months. Wesley underwent five surgeries in that time period, in which Dr. Manwaring performed a new procedure developed in Yugoslavia. Since going home in March 2003, Wesley has gotten his driver’s license and managed to pull off an A/B report card even after missing most of the semester while in Arizona. Wesley has big goals for the future he would like to work with children in addition to being a helicopter pilot. If everything stays on track the Farmer’s will be back in Phoenix in March, 2004 when Wesley must have an MRI to check his progress since the most recent surgery. The MRI can cause complications with the programmable devise implanted in Wesley’s head so they will keep him in the hospital for observation and depending on whether the devise needs to be reprogrammed, another surgery is possible. |
Back to Phoenix, also means back to the Ronald McDonald House for the Farmer’s. Penny said, “It’s wonderful because I can just call and say I’m coming home. If there was ever anything I could do to say thank you to the House, the staff and volunteers I’d do it in a second.”
Fall 2004 The Kavus: Exceptional Power In Family Unity
 | Benson Kavu is three years old. My grandson is six and could only hope to have the energy Benson totes around in his sturdy, small frame. A wonderful and exuberant little guy, Benson is your typical, rambunctious three-year-old inside. Outside he is trying, as best a three year old can, to cope with the traumatic experience that befell him and his brother Jeoffrey on April 16th. Thirteen-year-old Jeoffrey, an exceptional young man with the fortitude of a lion, and Little Benson were seriously injured in an oven explosion. Both boys were burned over a large percentage of their bodies and the entire family lost their home, belongings, and furniture...everything! |
Benjamin and Dora Kavu relocated to Arizona from the West African nation of Kenya when Benjamin’s company reassigned him in June of 2002. A happy, normal life was in full bloom for Benjamin, Dora and their three handsome sons Benson, Jeoffrey and the oldest Mambo. Overnight…all was gone.
The family found themselves suddenly and severely devastated trying to grasp the enormity of the situation in the waiting room of a burn/trauma unit. "It’s a devastating shock. Our entire lives were up heaved. Not only did we pull through that as a family but we go on as well. There are the daily rehab treatments, sterile cleansing sessions-for both boys, the transportation issues…it’s simply overwhelming." Dora confided then added "This place means so much to us, for at least we don’t have to worry about where we lay our heads tonight."
The Kavu family spent the first two and a half months of the ordeal at the Burn/Trauma Foundation. Realizing this sewn-together-at-the-soul family would need more room as the boys were released from the hospital, they contacted Ronald McDonald House. There was a two bedroom apartment available and Ronald McDonald House was able to shelter the family while the marvelous staff at St. Joe’s was tending the boys.
"This has been our home" making welcoming arm gestures all about Dora expressed her gratitude "and without it I’m sure I don’t have any idea what we would have done." She continued, "The people in this place (Ronald McDonald House) have been even more than generous to us. They have on several occasions gone beyond anything we could hope for in assisting us in this time. One woman, Vivian, even brought us a table from her own home. It was a very precious gesture".
Only the power of family unity and their love for one another can totally heal the wounds both inside and out, but Ronald McDonald House Charities is here to help along the way. How about you? Your help directly benefits little guys like Benson and young men like Jeoffrey. They may speak softly but they have a powerful story to tell!
Spring 2004 Derek Yazzie was born on January 26, 1987 in St. Joseph’s Hospital. The last thing Derek’s mom, Susie, remembers on that evening was seeing her tiny, 4lb, 9oz. infant son being rushed off to surgery by the doctors. Susie had complications with her pregnancy early on. “I knew something was different, I looked like I was having twins or triplets…I was so big for only having one baby. I kept regular appointments at the Chinle Hospital but they kept telling me that nothing was wrong.” When Susie was 7 months pregnant she went into labor. She went to Ganado Hospital where they immediately transported her by ambulance to the Window Rock Airport. Susie had never been on an airplane before but doesn’t remember a lot due to heavy sedation. They transported Susie and her husband by plane to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix. Finally arriving at St. Joseph’s Hospital, doctors put Susie on strict bed rest for one month. After several weeks, Susie’s relatives came and checked her out of the hospital for a weekend break. While she was visiting with her relatives, her water broke. Again, the ambulance rushed her back to St. Joseph’s Hospital where the doctors helped her labor progress. Derek was born with many complications, the largest being that he had no passage for air to get in and out of his lungs. From the beginning doctors were amazed at Derek’s will to live, they couldn’t explain how he survived as long as he did inside the womb. After Derek’s birth doctors rushed him into surgery and inserted a trach tube in his neck which he has continued to live with for 17 years. After 10 long months in the hospital Susie and her husband, David, were finally able to take Derek home to Chinle. However, for the last 17 years they have been traveling back and forth from Chinle to Phoenix on a regular basis. Derek has endured many surgeries including a cleft palate. In Derek’s most recent surgery doctors totally reconstructed his jaw. Dr. Sal Lettieri, Dr. Cameron Earl and Dr. Beloud performed the surgery at Maricopa County Medical Center. The surgery lasted a long 16 hours, however it was a success. Susie explained that Derek really wanted to have this surgery before his senior year in high school. After the surgery Derek simply said, “This is my miracle!” Susie and Derek Yazzie are so grateful to the Ronald McDonald House. Susie stated, “We have been coming to the Ronald McDonald House for 17 years. It is like having another family to stay with while we are away from home. The House has helped give me the strength and support to go on. I don’t have to worry when we travel to Phoenix, we know we will have a place to stay…a second family. The organization of the House and the staff are all part of Derek’s miracle.” The Ronald McDonald House has also allowed Susie and her family to meet other families in similar situations. “All of the families at the House have children with health problems. I enjoy talking to the other mothers and fathers, we have to support each other. I tell the other families that we cannot give up on our children. God gave me Derek in this condition for a reason and he has a right to live. Derek is God’s gift to me,” stated Susie. Derek is now a sophomore at Chinle High School. He enjoys playing and learning Pow-Wow songs with his drumsticks. He is an active teenager; he loves to play video games on the Play Station, watch T.V., surf the internet and read 4x4 magazines. Derek’s mother, Susie is his primary care giver. However, he continues to receive much support from his father, 2 sisters, 2 brothers and his 88 year old maternal grandmother. In addition, Chinle High School and Apache County District One office where Susie works have been a great help. Derek is so brave and courageous; his miracle is an inspiration to us all!
Spring 2003 Ron Jessop, Jr. In June of 2002, three year old Ron Jessop, Jr. complained to his mom, Rachel, about a painful stomach ache. Rachel thought Ron had appendicitis and immediately took Ron into the doctor. The doctor took some x-rays and sent the Jessops home with no explanation. Three weeks later Ron was still not feeling well and Rachel could feel a lump in his stomach. Rachel wondered if Ron might have a tumor and insisted that the doctor take some more x-rays. In July of 2002, the doctor confirmed that Ron had a tumor and sent the Jessops to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for more tests. Later, Ron was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma. Ron’s doctor at Phoenix Children’s Cancer Center told the Jessops that the cancer had metastasized into Ron’s knees, pelvic area and skull. He needed immediate treatment.
The Jessops live in Cane Beds, a small town located six hours away from Phoenix. At the time of Ron’s diagnosis, Ron’s father, Ron Sr., could not afford to take extensive time away from work to travel back and forth to Phoenix with his family. In addition, Ron’s his little brother, Damian, was only 7 weeks old and needed his mother close by. The Jessop family needed a place to stay that was close to the hospital and a place where Rachel could care for Ron and his new little brother. Ron’s older sisters, Rachel, 10 and LeslyAnn, 12 agreed to stay with grandparents during this difficult time. “Ron’s sister’s have sacrificed a lot; our entire family really pulled together to get Ron the help he needed,” stated Rachel. The Jessops were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House throughout Ron’s treatment. Ron underwent 6 cycles of chemotherapy to shrink his tumor. In December, the tumor had shrunk 80% and Ron’s doctor was able to successfully remove it.
In January, the Jessops traveled to Tucson where Ron underwent a mini Bone Marrow Transplant at the University Medical Center. This procedure proved to be a success and in March, using his own stem cells, Ron underwent a larger Bone Marrow Transplant. While Ron and his family were in Tucson, UMC provided an isolation apartment for them to stay in during his transplant procedures. Phoenix Children’s Hospital is getting ready to start up their Bone Marrow Transplant program later this summer. The board and staff are looking forward to building additional isolation apartments, in our expansion, where Bone Marrow Transplant patients and their families, like the Jessops, will be able to stay.
Recently, Ron’s bone scans showed no signs of cancer in his body and he is currently finishing up his treatment, in Phoenix, with 3 weeks of radiation. Ron and his family have loved staying at the Ronald McDonald House. “The Ronald McDonald House has been a huge part of the treatment. We live six hours away and without the house it would have been impossible for us to have a family life at all,” Rachel stated. The Jessops were also able to meet some other families going through similar experiences. When Ron first came to the House he was so shy the staff could barely get him to smile. Ron, now 4 years old, is definitely feeling better! He loves to play with his siblings and chat with the staff. “We are so thankful for the House, it has allowed us to stay together,” Rachel said. The Ronald McDonald House is thankful for families like the Jessops; they are the reason we are here. Always in Our Hearts Ron Jessop will remain in the hearts of Ronald McDonald House staff. We are sad to report that Ron's cancer reoccured and he passed away on January 12, 2004, just over the age of 5. |
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