RMH

With four boys under the age of four, Matt and Katie Simons have their hands full. Add in the fact that they’ve had to uproot their family and move so their son can have major heart surgery and you might expect them to be overwhelmed by stress.

Not the Simons family. To see them in action at Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Toronto, one would never know the struggles they’re facing. Katie and Matt appear calm and collected and dote on their sons. Nicholas, 2, and twins William and Luke, 3, are polite, well-behaved and play together like best friends. Even 3-month-old Owen can nap peacefully through the noisy play of his older brothers.

How do they function so well, far from home with a seriously ill child? According to Katie, it’s largely thanks to the support they’ve found at RMHC Toronto.

“Everyone here is so mindful of giving kids the stimulation they need, while giving parents the time and support they require to meet their children’s needs,” she says.

The Simons family live in St. Marys, a small town in Southwestern Ontario. They moved to RMHC Toronto in May so Will could have his third – and hopefully final – major heart surgery. Will (or “B.A.” as his twin affectionately dubbed him), was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, meaning part of his heart was underdeveloped. He had his first surgery at ten days old, followed by an “eventful” recovery. It was almost a month until his parents were able to hold him.

In the years since, Will has done remarkably well. Despite vision loss and low oxygen saturation, his parents have watched him thrive.

“Every day we look at him and wonder, ‘How do you cope?’” says Matt. “He’s so smiley and energetic. He’s such a fighter.”

Matt and Katie attribute much of Will’s tenacity to his twin brother.

“Will sees what Luke does and Luke wants him to join in, so Will pushes himself to keep up,” says Katie. “He’s at his best when his brothers are around.”

During his recent 40-day hospitalization, Matt and Katie saw Will’s morale sink having to be apart from his brothers. When Luke informed him that it was time for Will to join them at “Old McDonald’s,” he brightened up immediately.

“He’s doing so much better now that we’re all together at the House,” says Katie.

Though the Simons have briefly stayed at RMHC Toronto twice before, this longer-term stay with an expanded family has made them especially appreciative for all the House has to offer. In particular, the “Summer Fun” day camp has been “awesome,” keeping the three older boys entertained during long summer days.

“When you have a sick child, it’s not just the child who suffers,” says Katie. “The whole family goes through the condition together. So having this thoughtfully-designed place to live, staffed by people who realize that even siblings might require some extra attention, it’s incredible. RMHC Toronto has truly enabled us to come together as a family.”