Meet Mum Maddy & Baby York
York is a brave 18-month-old who has faced many challenges since he was born in 2022. He arrived early at 35 weeks at the Royal Women's Hospital, where his mum Maddy and dad Josh from Ballarat found themselves facing an extremely difficult and complex situation to manage.
York was soon diagnosed with Severe Aortic Stenosis; a serious heart condition that affects blood flow. York needed urgent surgery to save his life when they were referred to Ronald McDonald House Parkville.
“York’s original diagnosis was surgery with hopefully 2 to 4 weeks recovery, which was complicated by York being born prem. We ended up staying for eight months. So far York has had 3 heart surgeries since birth.” Maddy explains.
Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria & Tasmania provides a home away from home for families with seriously ill or injured children. By offering a comfortable bed, a supportive community and a familiar environment, they help families cope with the stress, shock and adversity of their situation. The mission is to make the world of difference for these families in their time of need.
“If the House didn't exist, we would have spent a lot of time traveling to and from Melbourne. We live about 2 hours away depending on traffic. So, if we didn't have the opportunity to stay here, we wouldn't have been able to be in ICU with York when everything was going on."
Maddy describes the critical role that Ronald McDonald Houses at Parkville and later North Fitzroy played for her family during the 105 days York first spent in ICU.
“It would have been quite detrimental to his recovery. The house has played a massive part in our journey. It allowed us a place to stay and gave us the ability to be so close to the hospital without the travel to and from home. It allowed us to not have to try and find accommodation, which would have put a financial strain on our life."
When a family arrives at Ronald McDonald House, anytime day or night, they are welcomed by a friendly staff member who shows them around the facility and explains everything they need to know. The family is provided with a comfortable, private room and access to common areas such as the living spaces, kitchens, laundry, the dining room and the play areas. The family can stay at Ronald McDonald House for as long as their child is receiving medical treatment at a nearby hospital.
“I would describe the Ronald McDonald House, as a hidden gem. It's a home away from home that nobody knows about until you need it. You just don't understand the impact that the Ronald McDonald House has on so many families not doing too well. When we first arrived there were welcome packs, with bits of food and drinks. Things like breakfast cereals and stuff in the kitchen.
The fridge meals we used the whole time we've been here. It has been awesome to be able to come back after spending 12 hours at a hospital and not have to think about a meal, to be able to just go to the fridge or the freezer and grab something out and heat it up. It takes one little stress out of our lives."
"When you live in this environment for the first time, you realise the need for people to be able to go back to work. So, to be able to use the WIFI here and spaces to be able to work from makes things a little bit easier. All those little things that are pretty minor in the scheme of things, but make a massive difference when you're living through what we lived through and you want to focus all your time on your kid in the hospital, baby or whoever else you need to focus on."
Families who stay at Ronald McDonald House enjoy a comfortable and supportive environment, where they can meet other families facing similar challenges, access various resources, and receive emotional and practical support from staff and volunteers.
“We met loads of families who have given us a lot of support and who allowed us to be supportive towards them too. It becomes a real community environment and it allows you to get the support when you need it and also give it when other people need it.“
York will continue to need more surgeries in the future, but Maddy and her family can rest assured that they will always have a place to stay near the hospital where he receives the best care possible. Ronald McDonald Houses provide essential support throughout the year for thousands of families who face the challenges of having a child with complex medical needs.
