When their infant son was life flighted to Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children’s Hospital, Kayla and Ben arrived with just the clothes on their backs. “We did not have a toothbrush, any toiletries, anything other than what we wore that day. It was so nice to be able to take a shower and have toiletries available [in the Ronald McDonald Family Room] and not have to leave our son to drive somewhere to purchase those things.”
Though only a few months old, Kayla and Ben’s son required multiple hospital stays in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The Ronald McDonald Family Room was always there for a cup of coffee, a healthy snack or a home cooked meal, just steps away from their baby’s bedside. “We were so thankful to not have to leave our son for a long period of time to get necessities and meals.” Kayla shared that without the Ronald McDonald Family Room “we would’ve spent a lot more time away from his bedside, which we hate to do. We truly appreciate [RMHC Family Room] services so that we could focus more of our time on the care of our child and his needs.”
