The Weatherwax Family
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 […]
The Ward Family
The night that Daniel and I came to the Ronald McDonald House, I didn’t have shoes on my feet. I remember this detail clearly. I was in a wheelchair, still recovering from my premature daughter’s emergency delivery. I kept looking at my shoe-less feet, wondering how I’d get myself shoes when I couldn’t drive, walk, […]
The DeKeyrel Family
At just 26 weeks pregnant with twins, Kelly DeKeyrel’s water unexpectedly broke. Kelly immediately went on strict bed rest at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. When the twins made their entrance into the world at 27.5 weeks, Kelly and Brandon’s hearts swelled with both fear and hope. “We were told about RMHC-EIWI by our nurses […]
The Hutcheson Family
It was a Thursday when Davenport couple Jenny and Keenan Hutcheson welcomed their third child into the world, eight weeks ahead of schedule. Baby Remi was quickly whisked away to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at University of Iowa Hospital, her fragile form tangled in a web of tubes and wires. Her early arrival […]
The Berggren Family
My name is Karen, and I came to the Ronald McDonald House in October 2017. My son Toby, who was 15 years old at the time, was admitted to the eating disorder unit. We thought it would be a short week or two stay, but after meeting with Toby’s doctors, that wasn’t the case. My […]
The Hayward Family
Emmerson was born premature at just 28 weeks and 5 days gestation. Briana and Cameron Hayward were transferred from Allen Hospital in Waterloo to UnityPoint Health- St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. He spent two months in the NICU and was diagnosed with BPD/CLD and needed to remain on oxygen. They learned that Emmerson would […]
The Hoeger Family
Rochelle Hoeger and her daughter Jasmyn were exhausted from traveling back and forth from their home in Dyersville, Iowa to Iowa City for outpatient treatment. They explored staying at hotels, but that option would be expensive over the course of Jasmyn’s treatments. After some research they learned about the Ronald McDonald House of Iowa City […]
The Marks Family
Those who stay with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois become a part of a family that lasts a lifetime. The Marks Family, who stayed at the Ronald McDonald House of Iowa City in 2012, formed lasting connections while at the House that have stayed with them throughout the years. […]
The Phelps Family
Mikai was born with double inlet left ventricle which affects the valves and chambers of the heart. This means he only has one working pumping chamber in his heart, essentially leaving him with half of a heart requiring long surgeries for a newborn. Mike and Ashley Phelps thought long and hard about which hospital would […]
The Walker Family
2022 It has been over 6 years since twins Beauregard Lee and Genevieve Rose were delivered by emergency C-section more than 16 weeks ahead of schedule at just 23 weeks and 4 days. Marcy and James Walker found themselves juggling work, newborn babies, and trips to the NICU. Marcy recalls sleeping on a hospital bench […]