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Testimonials
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Three weeks after his four-year-old daughter Megan was diagnosed with cancer, Mark Przekurats was in a near fatal automobile accident that left him with several broken bones and internal bleeding. Although Mark required 16 surgeries and more than 19 months of physical rehabilitation he was adamant that he receive medical treatment close to his daughter. At his request, Mark was airlifted and hospitalized at Loma Linda University Medical Center while his daughter received cancer treatment at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital.
Once Mark was discharged from the hospital, he checked-in to the Loma Linda Ronald McDonald House to remain close to his daughter. “Staying at the House allowed me to visit my daughter everyday and I did not have to drive the 90 mile distance to and from my house.”
At the Loma Linda Ronald McDonald House, Mark not only found a convenient place to rest his head at night but also a warm environment with a friendly staff, and other residents going through similar situations with their sick children.
“I was in a wheelchair the first nine months of my stay and the staff made sure that my room was close to the elevator and that I could easily get around in the House,” said Mark. “During such a hard time in my life, it was one less thing to worry about. I appreciated that.” |
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| The Przekurats Family, Victorville, Calif. |
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Makenzie Ohmer was nine months old when she was diagnosed with a severe form of gastroesophageal reflux disease that caused a host of serious health problems. Over 16 years, Makenzie underwent three surgeries and a number of long-term hospitalizations at CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital. During Makenzie’s treatments, her parents, Michael and Marci, found the support they needed in the form of the Ronald McDonald Family Room.
“I do not know how we would have managed without the hospitality and comfort of the Ronald McDonald Family Room and the constant support of the volunteers,” said Michael. ”Thanks to the staff and to this family room, we were able to spend the holidays together as a family.”
The Ohmer Family actively gives back to the Ronald McDonald Family Room at CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital by serving as regular volunteers there. In this way, they are able to provide comfort to other families going through similar challenges that they have successfully navigated.
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| The Ohmer Family, Laguna Niguel, Calif. |
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The moment Robert and Emilee McGowan discovered their 5-year-old son Myles had a cancerous brain tumor, they began to pray. They used their faith as a way to make peace with an aggressive form of cancer that hampered Myles’ motor skills, including his ability to swallow, blink and even breathe.
When the McGowan family learned about Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a sleep-away camp for children with cancer and their families, they were excited by the opportunity to attend. And when the family of six arrived at the campsite located 60 miles east of Los Angeles, they were able to relax for the first time since Myles’ diagnosis.
“Camp took us away from work, doctor appointments, the hospital, physical therapy and the pharmacy,” recalls Emilee. “It temporarily took us away from the pressure of dealing with this disease.”
For Robert and Emilee’s other children, Bobby, 13, Kayla, 13, and Diego, 4, Camp helped them realize that they were not alone.
“I know they are going through a difficult time and they don’t talk about it,” says Emilee of her other three children. “When they are at Camp, they finally feel safe enough to share their emotions with other kids that are dealing with similar situations. It definitely gives them some perspective.”
The McGowan family has advice for all of those who do not have a sick child. “Live life. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Take advantage of what you have today.”
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| The McGowan Family, Los Angeles, Calif. |
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Like any expectant couple, Patricia and Erik Lizarzaburo were excited about the birth of their daughter and the future in store for their growing family. These dreams were halted when a routine prenatal ultrasound revealed that their child would be born with Spina Bifida, a birth defect of the brain and spine. Devastated and scared, Patricia and Erik immediately began to research the condition and quickly learned that the resources needed to help their baby were not readily available in their native country of Ecuador.
When their daughter, Sarah, was born, the couple headed to the United States, determined to get the best medical treatment possible. Once in the U.S., the Lizarzaburo family was relieved to find that the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House would provide them with a place to stay, free of charge, while Sarah received treatment at Shriners Hospital Los Angeles.
“Staying at the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House has been a beautiful experience,” says Patricia. “The house comforted us while we were far from home and from our family. The staff and others families we’ve met at the House have become very dear to us.”
Sarah is now a spirited 2 year old living in Ecuador with her family. She recently had her two full length leg casts removed and, with the help of weekly physical therapy sessions, is now eagerly learning how to walk.
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| The Lizarzaburo Family, Ecuador |
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Five years after Melissa and Israel Diaz adopted their son Salvador, he was diagnosed with several serious illnesses including Cerebral Palsy and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, a difficult-to-treat form of child-onset epilepsy.
Salvador’s diagnosis required hospitalization at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital for up to two weeks every four months. While Salvador received care at the hospital, his mother, father, and siblings Dakota and Zamarah, would stay at the Loma Linda Ronald McDonald House.
Like others in Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Orange, Pasadena, and one on the way in Long Beach, the Loma Linda Ronald McDonald House provides inexpensive, often free, temporary housing for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at nearby hospitals and medical centers.
“This House has been such a blessing to us,” says Melissa. “The care and sense of support we receive from the staff and the other families who are experiencing similar situations is overwhelming.”
With each visit, Melissa and Israel felt so much compassion from the Ronald McDonald House staff that they wanted to volunteer to help the cause. Along with members of their church, the Diaz family periodically prepares meals for the families currently staying at the Loma Linda Ronald McDonald House.
“We just knew we had to give back somehow. It’s so simple and rewarding. By participating in the fundraising events and cooking for the families, we can return the care that we received each time we stayed here.” |
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| The Diaz Family, Cathedral City, Calif. |
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Christina Case was six months pregnant with twins when she developed toxemia, a disease characterized by high blood pressure and swelling in pregnant women. Christina and her husband, Wesley, were informed that Christina would need an emergency cesarean section and that their babies would have a 70 percent chance of survival.
Three months before her original due date Christina gave birth to twin girls: Charlotte, who weighed two pounds four ounces, and Caitlin, who weighed one pound four ounces.
For more than one month, as Charlotte and Caitlin remained in Children’s Hospital of Orange County’s prenatal intensive care unit, Christina and Wesley stayed at the Orange County Ronald McDonald House. For the Case family, the Ronald McDonald House became more than a place to sleep at night; it was a home-away-from-home where they were surrounded by people who cared and did everything they could to ease their pain.
“This was the hardest time in my life and I do not know what I would have done without the Ronald McDonald House to help me and my family get through this difficult period,” says Christina.
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| The Case Family, Mission Viejo, Calif. |
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Samantha Franco was only 10 years old when she learned that her older brother, Patrick, was diagnosed with leukemia. Without having prior knowledge about the illness, Samantha could not comprehend the life-threatening battle that her brother was facing. She was often too scared to see Patrick, and as a result, she rarely visited him at the hospital and their relationship began to dwindle.
That began to change, however, when Samantha and Patrick together attended Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a sleep-away camp for children with cancer and their families. It was through Camp that Samantha began to develop a greater understanding of what it is like to live with cancer and the role that siblings play in the recovery process.
At the campsite, located 60 miles east of Los Angeles, the siblings were able to participate in many activities together including swimming, fishing, and archery. As a result of their time spent at Camp, Samantha and Patrick developed a stronger relationship, which provided him with the support he needed for his recovery.
“It is so important for young cancer patients to get out and be normal kids, and Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times allows them to take their minds off of their sickness and just be normal kids,” says Samantha. “My experience at Camp, especially developing friendships with the people I met along the way, has made me a better, more compassionate person.”
Samantha is currently 18 years old and attending college. She plans to return to Camp as a counselor next summer so that she can help young cancer patients and their siblings bond and grow, like she was able to do with her brother. |
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| Samantha Franco, 18 |
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It is rare when one family benefits from the services of a charity twice in a lifetime, but Amanda and Megan Jackson exemplify that rare occasion. Amanda Jackson was nine years old when she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancerous tumor typically located in the abdomen. While Amanda was treated at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, her 13-year-old sister, Megan, two other siblings, and their mother stayed at the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House for more than two months.
“The Ronald McDonald House brought normalcy to our lives,” said Megan.
Four years after their stay at the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, with Amanda’s cancer in-and-out of remission, the Jackson’s soaring medical bills nearly thwarted Megan’s dream of attending college. However, Megan’s exceptional academic achievements and commitment to community service earned her a $2,000 college scholarship from Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California in 2006.
“With what Amanda went through, money just wasn’t available,” said Megan. “Without this scholarship, I probably would have ended up going to a junior college.”
Today, Megan is completing her freshman year at Biola University and Amanda’s cancer is in remission.
“Because of organizations like this, we were able to find some comfort and stability in a time of hardship,” says Megan. “This charity gave our family so many positive experiences. We are very grateful.” |
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| Megan Jackson, 19 |
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For 15-year-old Laura Zapata an ordinary family barbeque quickly turned into tragedy. As Laura went to light the barbeque grill, a change in wind direction left her upper body engulfed in flames, resulting in third-degree burns over 80 percent of her body.
The Manizales, Colombia resident needed thousands of dollars in reconstructive surgery and physical therapy. After two months of treatment at a Colombian hospital, Laura’s medical care became too costly for her family to afford. Fortunately, the Zapata family located an organization which sponsored Laura’s medical treatment in the United States. Once in the States, Laura and her mother, Lilia, took residence at the Pasadena Ronald McDonald House.
“We’re so grateful to have a facility like the Pasadena Ronald McDonald House that allows us to stay free of charge during our extended time in California,” said Lilia. “I do not know how we would be able to afford to live here during Laura’s treatments without this House.”
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| Laura Zapata, 16, Manizales, Colombia |
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During his first year of college, Jason Gonzalez, a 19-year-old student at Stanford University, was overwhelmed by the financial obligations that came with independence. For the first time in his life, this mechanical engineering major lived more than 350 miles away from home and was responsible for paying all of his expenses. Having to manage his own finances made Jason truly appreciate being awarded a scholarship from Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California.
“The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California Scholarship program gave me the opportunity to fulfill my dream of attending a first rate university, while easing the financial burden for me and my family,” says Jason. “I know my college experience would have been very different without the support of this scholarship.”
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| Jason Gonzalez, 19, Pacoima, Calif. |
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