Meet Ramea & Myla

Imagine being in the shoes of a first-time parent to a seemingly healthy newborn baby only to discover three weeks later that they have a life-threatening illness…This was the case for mom, Ramea, who learned that her daughter Myla had biliary atresia, a serious medical condition that would require a liver transplant.

“It was an eye-opening experience. Myla is my only child, so while I was trying to navigate the newness of being a parent, I was also learning everything I could about liver disease. I knew the least I could do was to be strong and to be there for Myla. I did not have support or resources at the time, and it wasn’t until I was referred to the Ronald McDonald House that I knew it existed.

The Ronald McDonald House gave me a home, a place to eat, sleep, and shower. It also brought me together with other families that I could relate with and talk to. The Ronald McDonald House gave us a crib and diapers so she could be at my side and an arm’s length away from the hospital during her recovery. And when she felt well enough, she had toys to play with and a playground to play on. She formed some of her earliest and happiest childhood memories laughing and playing on the playground at Ronald McDonald House.

It’s so hard to put into words what the Ronald McDonald House means to me. It is a place that makes you feel at home and you receive so much support. I would call it family, but it’s more like the family that you get to pick.”