Lilly went in to hospital for a routine operation on her leg in May, she should have been home the same day. Something happened as Lilly was having her anaesthetic her airways closed, and she had aspirated. She ended up in paediatric intensive care (PICU) on a ventilator very very poorly. Lilly’s mum Amy and her partner Chris stayed at the Ronald McDonald house Cardiff for almost 3 weeks. Lilly was on the ventilator for 8 days, then she had a further 10 days recovery on Owl ward. During the time she was critically ill Ronald McDonald House became home, desperately wanting to be as close to Lilly as possible but being unable to sleep on the PICU it provided so much comfort to know Lilly was a very short walk away. Words can not explain how horrific this situation was, but having the house there made it one less thing to worry about. 💕

Ronald McDonald House Charities UK provides free ‘home away from home’ accommodation to families with children having treatment in hospital. Our Houses offer much more than just a place to stay; they provide family activities, peer support, respite, and many other services. This means that families can be by their child’s bedside in a matter of moments, whilst maintaining a degree of normal life with reduced emotional and financial strain.We help over 6,000 families each year and now, more than ever, we need your support. Thank you.