What should have been one of the happiest days of Allison and Tristan’s lives quickly became the most terrifying; they didn’t know what was wrong with their son’s heart.
It was February of last year when they learned Benny needed to be transferred from Chatham to London just hours after he was born. Mom and Dad hadn’t even had the chance to hold him yet.
“The uncertainty was overwhelming.”
They learned that Benny had been experiencing premature atrial contractions, and he needed to stay in the NICU for monitoring, along with CPAP support and a feeding tube.
JUST STEPS AWAY
Staying at the Ronald McDonald House allowed Allison to focus entirely on pumping milk for Benny without worrying about anything else. Best of all, her baby was just a short walk away—165 steps to be exact.
“We are beyond grateful to Ronald McDonald House for allowing us to focus entirely on our baby’s well-being, and our own. Looking back, our stay was short, but the warmth and kindness we experienced will stay with us forever.”
FAMILY BOND
Allison had been craving quality time with Benny’s older brother, Jack, and the ability to be with him without being far from Benny was crucial for her mental health and postpartum recovery. Jack got to experience all that RMH offers children—books, snacks, toys, games, and much more.
“RMH didn’t just provide us a place to stay—it gave us the space to be a family when we needed it most.”
Benny recently celebrated his first birthday and there have been no health issues since he was born. In fact, Benny has taken his first steps and will be walking (possibly chasing) his older brother any day now.
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