As you probably know, Mackenzie has a new heart!  She is doing great and we may be able to go home to Chico real soon.  But, we would like to make sure that future families like ours have the same benefits of a place to stay close to the hospital with familiar faces and similar stories during the recovery journey! 

In order to give back to the Ronald McDonald House in Stanford, Jason and I have decided to do their Team Ronald McDonald half marathon in November.  This is my fundraising page and Jason has his own as well, so you can choose between us, give to one of us, or better yet, give a little to both of us!  We will be walking the half marathon in November after training for three and a half months.  The walk will be tough, but so worth it for this cause!

The Ronald McDonald House in Stanford serves thousands of people every year.  We have met families from Washington, Florida, Montana, Idaho, Oregon...the list goes on.  And of course, there are a number of families like us, from right here in California, but needing to stay close to the hospital during their child's treatments, surgeries and recoveries.  These families pay AT MOST $10/night during their stay, and many are provided rooms for free.  The state budget cuts has meant that agencies that previously covered some family's rooms are no longer paying. The house's 47 rooms are often full, with a waiting list of families needing rooms.  The average stay at the house is 22 days.  And the cost to the house for a room runs about $40 more than the $10 they ask from families. 

This is truly a special place.  It is hard to describe the comfort and support the home provides to families.  It is truly a home-away-from-home with families who know what you are going through, share your medical victories and your medical worries with you, and staff that provide food, activities and smiling faces when you most need it.  Your donation will go to a good cause.  Please consider giving generously to this cause! 

Thanks everyone!  And Mackenzie says thanks as well!