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A True Blessing

September 30, 2015
The Villareal Family, Photos courtesy of Marcy Harris Photography

The Villareal Family, Photos courtesy of Marcy Harris Photography

Elena and her husband, Milan, were living in Russia, where they met, when they had their first daughter, Josephine. At 4 months old, the Villareals noticed something was wrong with Josephine, so they went to the pediatrician. The doctor told Elena and Milan their daughter had Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA). In 2011, the Villareals decided to move to the United States, where there was more research being done for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. There is no cure for SMA and the average life expectancy is 1-2 years old. Josephine passed away at 15 months in May 2012.

Elena and Milan were devastated and were trying to move on with their lives. In 2014, they found out they were expecting a baby. 75% of pregnancies after having a child with SMA are healthy pregnancies, but the Villareals had their daughter, Evelyn, tested for SMA. She tested positive for SMA Type 1, the same type her sister, Josephine, was diagnosed with, and Elena and Milan were devastated. They began research to see what they could do to help their sweet baby girl and found the Gene Therapy Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. So they moved from Texas to Columbus for Evelyn to be treated in the Gene Therapy Program. Evelyn was given a one-time treatment providing nerves in her spinal cord, the nerves she is missing. She is sitting up, crawling, holding her head up-all miraculous for babies with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Looking at her, you would never know her diagnosis and the journey the Villareals have gone through for their daughters.
The Villareals have stayed with us at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House since February  for Evelyn’s treatment. Elena, Evelyn’s mother, said “we’re very blessed and not in distress because of this Ronald McDonald House. We’ve been able to minister to others and it has been a place of joy to us. It has been therapeutic to us to be at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. To take the extra stressors and not worry about them to focus on your child – it’s been such a relief. A lot of people are going through difficult times, and because of RMHC, you don’t feel like you are alone.”
Our volunteers and staff have loved meeting and getting to know this family and watching Evelyn’s milestones. We wish them nothing but happiness.They know what a miracle their daughter is, and we cannot wait to see her grow!

Handling Hardships with the Help of RMHC

February 4, 2015
Ethan playing in the NHL All-Star Legacy Tree House

Ethan playing in the NHL All-Star Legacy Tree House

Ethan Graham was born at full-term and looked so perfect. His parents, Ryan and Ashley Graham, could not wait to take him home to see his siblings. A couple weeks later, Ethan was not able to have any bowel movements, so his parents took him to the doctor. Ethan’s doctors knew they weren’t able to give the answers the Graham family was looking for, so they sent Ethan from Kentucky to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville. Vanderbilt could not give any answers as to what was going on with Ethan, so they sent him to Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. While at Kosair, Ryan and Ashley found out Ethan had a bleeding disorder, so they sent Ethan and his parents to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The family had a nurse refer them to the Columbus Ronald McDonald House, and they arrived right before Christmas of 2013.

Since Ethan has been treated at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, he has undergone three biopsies and two scopes. He has all of the symptoms for Cystic Fibrosis, but this little boy has not tested positive for this disease, so his diagnosis is still unknown. This has resulted in a lot of travel from the Graham family’s home in Kentucky to the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. “We’ve met a lot of families over at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, only to find out the family we have been talking to is also staying at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. We met Story Hill and her parents (an amazing little girl whose story we told in 2014), and learned just how similar our children’s lives were—from living in Kentucky, to having the scary experience of having our children lifeflighted from Kentucky to Nationwide Children’s Hospital—it has been wonderful to know someone who has common ground that can relate to our family’s story.”

Ashley said she is continually blown away by the amenities at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. “We’ve taken so many pictures of Ethan in the library, so it has been fun to see him grow and change. The movie theatre has also been a lifesaver, because Ethan wants to stay up while his dad may want to sleep, so Ethan and I make our way to watch movies there late at night. I was here before, during, and after the expansion. I was here last Friday when they opened the NHL All-Star Tree House—what an amazing space! We love the Columbus Ronald McDonald House because of the volunteers and the sense of community. From listening to a little girl sing “Let It Go” from Frozen during dinner and applauding her for her performance, to bonding with other families in all of the beautiful common spaces, there is no place like the Ronald McDonald House. We are truly grateful for this place!”


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© RMHC The following trademarks used herein are owned by McDonald's Corporation and its affiliates; McDonald's, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald McDonald House Charities Logo, RMHC, Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room, and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. RMHC of Central Ohio is recognized as a public charity under Internal Revenue Code section 509(a) and has 501(c)(3) status. Donations to RMHC of Central Ohio are deductible. Donors should consult their tax advisor for questions regarding deductibility. The RMHC EIN is 31-0890152. A copy of the RMHC determination letter is available upon request. Ronald McDonald House Charities Central Ohio 711 E. Livingston Ave, Columbus, OH 43205 614-227-3700 : rmhccommunications@rmhc-centralohio.org