My name is Lindsey Jones, and I am the mom of Saylor Jones. Thank you for listening to our story.
When I was a child, my dad would take us through McDonald’s on Wednesday nights for .39-cent cheeseburgers. Does anyone remember those? He would always put a few dollars in the RMHC donation box. I remember asking him one night, “why are you putting money in there?” In my small perspective as a child, I knew we knew no one with cancer or a terrible disease. Why else would you give? He turned around and, in his loving voice, said, “Lindsey, you never know when you or someone you know will need it.” Again, my small perspective brushed off his words, but he never let an opportunity go by not to give.
Fast forward to 2019, when our family’s life took a crazy turn, and we were the ones that “needed it.” We were scared, unsure, and desperate. My daughter went from a bad cold on Friday to being sedated on high-flow oxygen in the PICU on Monday to keep her alive. If you don’t know, the hospital doesn’t have the best amenities when you are in a PICU room, which is understandable. There are no showers or places to rest (per se), but a nurse mentioned to me about 3 days in that there was a room that the Ronald McDonald House of Charities ran called the family room. She gave me all the details and said she would sit with my daughter while I visited. I almost cried… the thought of a hot shower was enough for me to jump at the opportunity. That family room gave us something we didn’t know we needed – a caring place to recover. From a personal perspective, I can say, “RMHC allowed me to be a better mom.” From a community perspective, “RHMC is allowing me to make a difference.” I had the opportunity to tell them my story and thank them personally for “helping me be a better mom.” My husband says, “the hospital helped our daughter; RMHC helped us.”
I want to challenge you with this as you enjoy this evening. As my dad told me as a kid, I want to tell you – Why Give? Because you never know when you are going to need it. Thank you for giving today!
