Taylor and Levi Kaufman found comfort in the Ronald McDonald Family Room at St. Luke’s Hospital when their son, Leo, was born at just 26 weeks. Leo spent 85 days in the NICU, and Taylor spent 80 of those days in the hospital by his side. The couple were 60 miles away from home and terrified of the unknown.
Taylor and Levi did not know what to expect when they first heard about the Ronald McDonald Family Room at St. Luke’s. They quickly learned that they would have a comfortable place to sleep, delicious meals nearby, and a place to do laundry. Taylor would eat breakfast and lunch in the Family Room most days. Being in the hospital during a pandemic made an already difficult situation even more challenging, but the Family Room allowed the couple to make connections and meet other families going through similar situations.
Taylor shared, “Being able to use the rooms provided by the Family Room was so much nicer than sleeping in the hospital room. I was close to the NICU, but able to get rest when I needed it the most.” Taylor and Levi loved the staff and enjoyed keeping in touch with them throughout Leo’s progress. Focusing on the health of their child was the most important thing for the Kaufmans, and the Ronald McDonald Family Room helped them stay close to Leo throughout their stay. Levi explained, “I highly recommend anyone going through a similar situation to utilize the Ronald McDonald Family Room. It made a huge difference for our family.”
