Ronald McDonald House Charities

As a parent, when your child needs help, you do whatever you need to do to get it.  The problem was, I didn't know where to go to get it and I knew I couldn't afford it.  When I found out how much my son C.J.'s asthma treatment was going to cost, I felt totally overwhelmed.  And I needed to do something right away.  These things don't wait.

That's when I saw the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.  It was right there ahead of me on the road. It must have been fate.  I drove right up to it and decided to find out what it was all about.  And knowing what I know now, that was the best decision I could have made.

The staff and doctor saw C.J. right away and he got the treatments he needed.  Free.  They made him feel comfortable and welcome and even got a smile or two out of him. 

Months after treating C.J. for his asthma, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile was there for us again after C.J. was hit by a truck when he was crossing the street.  It was the scariest time of my life.  His injuries were bad and we spent the next few months in hospitals and in therapy.  C.J. couldn't walk and it was very difficult to get him to open up to others.

The staff on the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile helped my son and put us in touch with trauma counselors, occupational and speech therapists, and rehabilitation facilities. Most importantly, though, everyone treated C.J. as a friend, not just a patient; they treated him like a kid, not a condition.  He was able to open up and learned not to be ashamed that he may not talk or walk like he used to before the accident.

It's been three years since the accident and C.J. is doing much better.  We still visit the RMCM in Washington D.C. for check-ups.  And when we do, C.J. rushes onboard the truck to see his doctors, the driver and friends.   It's the little things that they do that make a difference.  They help in anyway they can, taking the time to speak with you and they always take the time to call back on the same day.  No question or concern is too small or trivial.

I am so grateful the doctors and staff onboard the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile were there for C.J. and me.  Not only did they treat his condition, they treated him to a big dose of confidence and let him know that he mattered and that they cared. They gave me options for my son when I had nowhere to turn and in the end they seemed to be the only doctors that could get my son to smile.  And that is a smile I cherish every day!

- Tremaine, C.J.'s mother