Analia’s Story
Ronald McDonald House Welcomes Hurricane Maria Baby
Baby Analia was born prematurely at just 24 weeks in Puerto Rico. To complicate matters, little Analia was born with ROP – Retinopathy of Prematurity, a disease that affects the vision of premature babies.
Doctors suggested that Analia undergo laser treatment, but she didn’t respond well to it. The next step was surgery, a surgery that could not be performed in Puerto Rico. Without it, Analia faced potential blindness.
As all this was happening, Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, and it was imperative that Analia and her family get out. The social worker handling the case contacted FEMA, and they arranged them to be air lifted to Miami. Here, Baby Analia and her family were provided with a home away from home with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida.
A thankful mother says, “I am truly grateful for the work that RMHC does for not just me and my family but also for others who are going through this tough time as well. Being in the Ronald McDonald House is a huge support system for us all; it’s a comfortable and secure place for us to interact with one another and share our different stories and experiences. Ultimately, this helps uplift my spirit and distracts me from other worries I would be having if I weren’t staying at RMHC.”
“I would like to thank all of the RMHC staff members, volunteers and donors for thinking of us during a difficult time in our lives and extending a helping hand. Without them, this would all be impossible.”
