When their son Nash was born extremely early, Mollie and Randall knew that a long NICU stay was in their future. Mollie’s nurses encouraged her to contact Ronald McDonald House. “I honestly don’t know how we would’ve made it through this journey without Ronald McDonald House services. When your child is critically ill, your whole world is flipped upside down and things like meals, a hot shower, clean clothes, or even a place to rest out of the hospital feel completely out of reach.” With their micro-preemie son so critical, commuting between the NICU in Iowa City and their home in Ankeny, Iowa was out of the question. “Having access to warm meals, a place to sleep, do laundry, and grab basic toiletries allowed us to stay close to our son without having to constantly leave the hospital just to take care of basic needs. The impact of that kind of support is hard to put into words. It helped us feel human again when we were running on empty.”
“One of my favorite memories was coming back to the Ronald McDonald House after a long, emotional day in the NICU and seeing a homemade meal waiting for us. It might not seem like much, but in that moment, it felt like the biggest gift. After hours by our baby’s bedside, running on little sleep and a whole lot of worry, just having a warm meal and a quiet space to breathe meant everything. It felt like someone out there truly cared.” Mollie also recalls the sense of community she felt with the families, staff, and volunteers at Ronald McDonald House. “Getting to know other families and hearing their stories was honestly one of the most comforting parts of the experience. There’s something really special about being surrounded by people who just get it. Those little chats in the kitchen or moments in the family room made me feel less alone. RMHC wasn’t just a place to sleep or grab a meal, it gave us a sense of normalcy and connection during one of the hardest seasons of our lives.”
“One of the things I appreciated most was how much effort RMHC put into making a heavy experience feel just a little more normal. They decorated our doors for birthdays, asked how our baby was doing like they genuinely cared (because they did), and created little moments of joy in the middle of really hard days. I’ll never forget Chef Rob, who showed up with so much heart, cooking homemade meals. Or the holiday meals, so families didn’t have to choose between being with their child or celebrating. It wasn’t just about the services. It was about the love behind it all. You could feel it in everything they did.” The Keen family stayed at Ronald McDonald House for 180 days after Nash was born. Today Nash is a happy, smiling child at home with his parents.
-The Keen Family
