Katie’s Story*
Katie’s father, an active duty Marine, had recently been assigned to Norfolk. Their family traveled to Virginia in search of a new home. During their visit, Katie started having trouble breathing and had a loss of appetite. Her family took her to the emergency room where the doctors found a large mass in her chest. Katie was transferred to Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and was diagnosed with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Life for Katie and her family had suddenly taken an unexpected turn. Katie was hospitalized and her family had no place to stay in Richmond. Their doctor connected them with Richmond’s Ronald McDonald House.
Kathryn says, “We had volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House many years ago for a service project, I never imagined I’d ever be in a situation where I would need to use one.”
Katie’s mom and Kathryn split their time between the hospital and the Ronald McDonald House taking turns sleeping, showering, eating, and doing laundry so that someone could always be with Katie. To follow Katie’s journey, visit her FB page: Courage for Katie.
*Courtesy of Ronald McDonald House
