Nicholson Family 

By the time Michelle Nicholson arrived at the doorstep of the Providence Ronald McDonald House in August 2007, she was at her wit’s end. Her daughter, Tess, had developed gastrointestinal problems, leading to eighteen months of treatments and consultations that had taken them from their New Hampshire home to as far away as Kansas. Countless hospital stays and surgeries hadn’t help Tess regain her health. Then, she suffered a life-threatening blood infection called sepsis.

They had come to the Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence because it was the best place for Tess’ next stage of treatment. Michelle came to the Ronald McDonald House because she needed sanctuary.

Without the house, Melissa would have needed to rent an apartment or stay in a hotel – a difficult financial burden considering she had to quit her job to be in Rhode Island with her daughter. Melissa didn’t know what to expect because she didn’t have the best experience staying at a hospitality house once before in Kansas. But here, she was pleasantly surprised by the House’s welcoming and warm environment.

“The house is comfortable and very clean,” Melissa said. “There is a homey atmosphere yet enough space for privacy. The ‘quiet room’ is great. There are enough nooks and crannies to go to for privacy and you feel very safe within the House.”

She found something else – a community of families who were enduring the same sort of emotional crisis as her family. In an apartment or hotel, they would have been isolated. But at the House, Melissa and her daughter were surrounded by people who knew exactly what they were going through.

“There’s camaraderie among the families,” Melissa added.

The added benefit of staying at the House is Tess could recover in a place where she is supported by a team of volunteers who understand how to take care of kids who have been sick for an extended period of time and treat families with dignity. Tess is making progress each day. And every day, Melissa is thankful for the House.

“You are very burnt out emotionally, financially and socially by the time you’ve had an illness for this long,” Melissa said. “(Tess) wouldn’t have made the progress she has if she didn’t have a program like this or a place to stay like the Ronald McDonald House.”

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