A Cause Worth Dancing For

By Carly Damman

Students at Ohio University’s First Annual BobcaThon

February 14^th, 2015 marked a special day for both Ohio University students and the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. On that day, over 130 students came together to dance for 12 hours straight while raising a total of $18,173 dollars for Ronald McDonald House families. February 14^th marked the first ever dance marathon at Ohio University and the first ever dance marathon to raise support for RMHC of Central Ohio.

As an eager and ambitious college senior, I decided to help start BobcaThon at Ohio University. Little did I know it would land me a big girl job one day! BobcaThon became a reality due to hard work, passionate students and a desire to help the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House. What a bittersweet moment for me when February 14^th finally came around and the idea of a dance marathon became reality! Transitioning from being a student who helped plan the event to a full-time staff member at the Ronald McDonald House was a bit of a challenge for me at first. However, as soon as I stepped foot in the Student Center at Ohio University and saw the event come to life, the challenge was over and the celebration could begin! The students did such an incredible job honoring the families and embracing the atmosphere of a true dance marathon.

Remember Autumn Wehr from our blog in 2014? Here she is at BobcaThon with her mom, Carrie.

Reflecting on my tough transition from student to full-time staff member, I am repeatedly reminded of the transition families staying with us have to make. Can you imagine leaving your home, your friends, your family and your job to spend weeks, even months, at a hospital? It’s surely not an easy transition. It’s probably one of the hardest transitions a family ever has to make. My transition pales in comparison! I am so honored and so humbled to work for an organization that strives to serve families of seriously-ill children in their deepest time of need each and every day. I am beyond thrilled to continue working alongside BobcaThon students to make the dance marathon more successful each year.

For me, each hour of the 12 hour dance marathon symbolized an hour of anticipation for an RMHC family. An hour of waiting during a child’s surgery, an hour of celebration after a cure is found, an hour of praying for positive test results or an hour spent anxiously awaiting next steps on an already long journey. I admire the stamina of each BobcaThon dancer to stand on their feet for 12 hours straight but that’s nothing compared to the strength of our Ronald McDonald House families.

Remember to always take time to dance for the amazing families that stay at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House!

What a Blessing

Dear Ronald McDonald House,

Our son was born on March 4^th at Fairfield Medical Center. He was in respiratory distress and was immediately transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital J4 NICU. I was not able to join him because of my C-Section until March 6^th. One of the hardest things I have ever done was watch them take my new baby away and known I would not get to touch, hold, or even see him for at least two more days. After I was discharged, my husband and I drove immediately to Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

The social worker at the hospital had mentioned the Ronald McDonald House to my husband and by the time I was discharged and ready to travel to Columbus, they had a room available for us. What a blessing it was to be right there the whole time! My husband and I were able to take turns spending time in the NICU with our new baby and at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House with our four and six year olds. It was truly a blessing to be able to have our entire family together during this very trying and exhausting time we spent in the NICU. Being right across the street from the hospital allowed me to be able to nurse my baby almost around the clock and provide some much needed kangaroo care for both of us. Thank you for everything!

Sincerely,

The Hayes Family

Taking Care of It All

Jess in the NHL All-Star Legacy Tree House

Jess Uithoven is an extraordinary young lady. She might also be the Columbus Ronald McDonald House’s most engaged social media follower. Three years ago, she was diagnosed with a rare condition called collagenous gastritis. This condition causes her stomach lining to form collagen bands and become hardened, making it less mobile. The gastritis has caused gastroperisis, meaning the stomach is paralyzed and doesn’t move food the way it should. Both conditions cause nausea at a constant level. When Jess was diagnosed, there were only 50 diagnosed cases worldwide, and half of those cases were children. Doctors do not know the cause of it and there is no cure. Jess has tried every medication available for treatment of her symptoms and there is no relief.

In 2013, Jess and her mom, Louise, left their home in Montana to try more therapies at the Mayo Clinic, but those treatments were unsuccessful. The Mayo Clinic referred the Uithovens to Nationwide Children’s Hospital because of their expertise in the gastrointestinal field. Through more testing, doctors determined Jess would be an excellent candidate for the gastric stimulator. This stimulator tells the stomach to empty. Jess has found that the stimulator helps, but it will be a long process to find the right setting to alleviate more of the nausea. She is on a long road to recovery, and the Columbus Ronald McDonald House has become a second home to her and her mom while Jess is receiving treatment.

Jess and Louise first came to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in May of 2014 and they have been back four times since then. Some of their trips have been a few days and some have been up to three weeks. Each time, they have stayed at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. “This place is a second home to us. We love the homey feeling here. It is like a fancy hotel room put into a home. We love being able to do a variety of activities while we are there. We play pool, watch movies in the theater, read in the library – Jess loves to sit on the oversized bears; we also love the rooftop garden when the weather is nice. We’ve gotten to know a lot of the people that work and volunteer there. Meika is one of our favorite people there – she always has kind words for us, stops to chat, and we stay in touch with her outside of our visits. We also have been fortunate enough to get to go to a Columbus Blue Jackets game! Everyone at the House is so nice and makes sure you always have what you need.”

Without the Columbus Ronald McDonald House, Jess and Louise say they wouldn’t be able to afford the trips from Montana to Ohio. The Uithovens appreciate the meals, laundry, and “just doing life while we are there.” They say “the Ronald McDonald House takes care of all of that!”