Michelle Goedecke and her family, including toddler son

RMHC Made a Difference at One of the Worst Times in My Life

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas gave my family the comfort and support we needed to to tackle my child’s cancer.
My baby boy was not even two-years-old when he was diagnosed with T Cell Lymphoma. For months, our doctors in New Mexico thought he was suffering from asthma. Call it mother’s intuition, but I knew something wasn’t right.
I’ll never forget that summer day when I found Eli blue and unable to breathe.  After he was rushed to the hospital, an MRI showed a mass in his chest. I went numb and kept thinking, this has to be a dream.
Eli was airlifted to El Paso, TX and it was confirmed that he had cancer. He began chemotherapy and after two treatments, the tumor had gone away. He still had a long road of outpatient treatment ahead of him and of course, like any other parent, we wanted the best care. And that’s how we came to Austin and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas.
Coming to the Ronald McDonald House has been nothing short of a blessing. They opened their doors and their hearts and supported my family when our lives completely changed. It was the simple things that helped ease our overwhelming stress – being close to the hospital, having wonderful meals prepared by volunteers, resting in a comfortable room after a long day of treatment and even having laundry facilities.  All these little comforts made a big difference and allowed us to focus on one thing – getting Eli well.
This incredible “home-away-from-home” provides so much comfort and care for families, like mine.
Michelle's Signature

Michelle Goedecke