Rhiannon Stonebraker is no stranger to the Ronald McDonald House Family Room at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Both of her babies stayed at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and luckily, the Family Room is just steps away. “It was an amazing experience to stay close to my baby in the family rooms instead of commuting an hour back and forth” said Rhiannon.
The Ronald McDonald Family Room at St. Luke’s offers three sleeping rooms, two shower suites, laundry, kitchen, dining and a living area. Rhiannon always felt welcomed during both of her stays, “I loved that every time you walk through the door there was a smiling face there to greet you and just ask how your day was going. Hot meals were served every night and there was always food available to make lunch or a snack. I felt so comfortable and could come and go as I pleased”.
For the Stonebrakers family, the Ronald McDonald Family Room was a home-away-from-home and a place to reflect explains Rhiannon, “It was a place where I could deal with the day to day challenges and triumphs”. She continued, “The Family Room helped take the stress off during very difficult situations. I loved that there was always an ear that was willing to hear your concerns and milestones”.
