“When my daughter underwent open-heart surgery, my family and I had the privilege of staying at Ronald McDonald House in Westmead. The comfort, kindness, and sense of community they provided during that time meant so much to us. It helped turn an incredibly difficult experience into one where we felt supported and not alone.
“We stayed at the Westmead House twice: the first when our nine-week-old daughter Ruby underwent her first heart operation, and again at 13 months old, when she had her open-heart surgery.
The gift of being close
“During her first stay, we weren’t prepared for how quickly things would move, and Ronald McDonald House Westmead became our anchor through it all. After Ruby’s surgery, she spent weeks in PICU, and as parents, we weren’t able to sleep beside her. My husband and I took turns sitting with her through the night. I’d return to the House around 8pm to rest while he stayed with Ruby until 1am, then he’d wake me so I could sit by her bedside and hold her hand until morning.
“I’m so grateful we could go back and forth at any hour; if we’d been staying further away, that simply would not have been possible.
“Ronald McDonald House gave us not only a place to sleep, but the gift of being close—a comfort that meant everything during those long, uncertain nights.
A sense of normality
“It was not only the closeness to Ruby that meant so much, but also the sense of normality Ronald McDonald House gave us when we felt stuck in the hospital vortex.
“There were some really hard, painful, and terrifying days, and when we came back to the House, the staff somehow always knew exactly what to say, or what not to say. I remember one day returning after a particularly difficult time in PICU when Ruby was having setbacks in her recovery. I can’t remember the words the lady at reception said to me, but she saw I wasn’t coping. She simply opened her arms to offer a hug, and I fell apart. That moment has stayed with me.
“It was not only the closeness to Ruby that meant so much, but also the sense of normality Ronald McDonald House gave us when we felt stuck in the hospital vortex.”
– Ashlee, Ruby’s mum
A sense of community, a quiet understanding
“Ronald McDonald House became a home away from home. There was such a sense of community within those walls, a quiet understanding among families who were all facing their own challenges. There were nights when we wouldn’t have eaten had it not been for the volunteers and the leftover meals available when we returned late from the hospital. The kitchen had everything we needed, even a steriliser, which meant I could pump breastmilk in our room instead of openly in the hospital.
“Those small comforts made such a huge difference during such an emotional and exhausting time. Thank you again for the extraordinary work you do for families like mine.”
A Cloudy Heart
Ashlee updates that Ruby is now four years old and doing well. Inspired by their journey, Ashlee has written A Cloudy Heart, a children’s picture book created to support other children and families navigating heart surgeries. Find out more at gemmabearstories.com.au