RMH

By Jennifer Lewis

It was with unbelievable joy that I got to celebrate my daughter Sydney’s first birthday on April 2. The celebration got me looking back on how far we’ve come. You see, Sydney was born more than two months premature, but she overcame a heart surgery and so many other challenges to live! 

My husband, Steven, and I spent her first nine and a half months at Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Toronto, away from our home in Innisfil, Ont., to be close to our daughter. It was so important to be by her side, every step of the way.

The House and the Family Room at SickKids lightened our burden. There is a unique energy and feeling to the places. The families, staff and volunteers co-exist in their various roles, creating a support system like no other. The time and effort put into every day events at the House brought such a feeling of warmth and companionship.

We shared many firsts at RMHC Toronto as parents: Our first Easter, Mother’s Day, Father's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. In this environment, we felt safe to experience and live our life in a way that was different from our "regular" life, but one in which our whole family was still welcome. Everywhere we went, there was an opportunity to find support. To this day, I miss these relationships; the faces and the feeling of being around other people who just “get” what you're going through. 

Thank you RMHC Toronto for truly creating a “home away from home.” I really do miss it.

For those who donate or volunteer, you are the reason parents like myself can sleep a little better, eat well, share experiences and feel safe at a time when nothing feels right. 

After many long days…and many long nights, Sydney is now blossoming, and we couldn’t be happier.

Jennifer and Steven Lewis stayed at RMHC Toronto for 282 days, from April 2014 until January 2015, until Sydney got big and strong enough to go home.