Love Notes HOW YOUR LOVE KEEPS FAMILIES CLOSE IN RALEIGH-DURHAM Spring 2020 Living amid crisis: leaning into the unknown When was the last time you felt truly helpless, The families we support have unique wisdom from their unsure of what to do or what will come next? journeys with serious childhood illness. Each day we look to them for guidance on how to move forward with So many of us can relate to this question. Forces outside courage and grace. of us have pulled us into a shared experience of unknowing. We feel out of control in this frightening and Here’s some of what we’ve learned from our in-House always changing global pandemic. teachers during the COVID-19 crisis. So what are we to do? 1. Start each day new. Release old frustrations, and resist worry about tomorrow. Focus on right now. 2. Remember to be grateful. Keep a list, and add one new thing each day. 3. Reach out. Resist isolating when you feel overwhelmed. Call or text one person you know. 4. If something feels too big, release it. Spend your energy on what you can change. 5. Share love. Find someone who needs a lift. Hold the door for a stranger. Send a note to someone you love who also needs connection and care. 6. Forgive yourself and move on. We all fall short. Remember you’re doing your best in a tough Waylan returned to RMH in May after a bone-marrow situation. Get a good night’s rest; try again tomorrow. transplant for leukemia. She was first diagnosed at 6 months. Waylan turns 2 this month. She will stay at RMH with her parents until she is cleared by the hospital In case no one has told you lately, you’re doing a really to return home to Asheville. Her transfer to Duke and good job. Hang in there. We’ll get through this! transplant occurred during the CVOID-19 pandemic. 2 Ronald McDonald House of Durham & Wake The state of the House At Ronald McDonald House, we see miracles and medical “firsts” every day. This year has 2020: In like a lion ! been a first, in many ways, for ALL of us! After closing a successful year, 2020 rolled in with with a Like everyone, Ronald McDonald House is flexing to roar. Our annual Hearts of Gold Gala was held March meet our mission in new and creative ways. And, yes, 6—just days before COVID-19 restrictions were put into we’re looking to our guest families to teach the wisdom place. We were very blessed to hold the gala when we they’ve gained while navigating serious illness. did. Many nonprofits were not as lucky. This is our Annual Report newsletter. In it we’ll take a And just like that, everything changed! look back at how you helped children and families in 2019. We’ll also share how RMH is operating through • In early March, our hospital partners suspended COVID-19—and how we’ll move forward through 2020. our Family Room programs, along with their This is all possible because of you! volunteer programs, inside Duke and WakeMed Children’s Hospitals. 2019: Out like a lamb • We began deliveries of food and supplies to hospital staff, who then delivered them to families in Our 2019 program stats on pages 6 and 8 say it all. the pediatric units. Last year you helped RMH welcome 914 families who needed a welcoming place to stay for 19,291 nights. • To keep families safe, we temporarily stopped taking new families on March 21. We remain open to You also helped welcome parents and other caregivers serve the families who were already with us. at our in-hospital Ronald McDonald Family Rooms 29,236 times. You are amazing! • Our Durham House volunteer program was temporarily suspended at the same time. This was very emotional for us as volunteers are the heart of our work. • Meals are now purchased by groups and delivered by area restaurants. They are served by RMH staff and must be eaten in individual guest rooms—again a very different culture for us. • Our House common areas were closed, and we began following social-distancing guidelines as ordered by the Governor. • A small core staff team maintains House operations, supporting families who are still here to be near their children. Serious illness and injury did not stop for the pandemic. Himani and her mother are living with us while she awaits a living donor for a life-saving kidney transplant. 2 Mostly, we remain grateful to you, our dear What happens next? friends and RMH family, for your love, your It’s a very good question! encouraging words, and your financial support. We are working with our Global office to define a phased plan to carefully re-open program operations. You mean everything to us! Our first priority is once again welcoming new families We will keep you posted on our progress. And we’ll keep to stay at RMH. We’re thoughtfully considering the on caring for the families who are still with us. best timing for the re-launch of our volunteer program. We miss them so much! Finally, we’ll work with Duke We wish you the very best as you move forward in new and WakeMed to re-open the in-hospital Family Room ways as well. Please stay in touch—we miss you and want programs that are run by more volunteer angels. to stay connected! In the meantime, we realize things may change again at any moment. We are prepared for the possibility. Oie Osterkamp Tom Cavender Executive Director President Elect Tom and Oie share our commitment to continue keeping families close to their seriously ill children while also keeping families safe through the COVID-19 new normal. COMING SOON! We are working on a careful and phased plan to re-open to new families. Help us land on our feet and welcome them ‘home.’ WHAT YOU CAN DO WATCH FOR • Restock supplies EMERGING DETAILS • Organize a meal RMHDurhamWake.org or • Fund family stays Facebook.com/RMHDurhamWake INFORMATION: [email protected] 3 Sustainers of Hope are monthly donors Everyday Heroes: who keep RMH programs running. RMH Sustainers of Hope Join these every- day heroes who Kiara Brooks Fred and Diane DeGroff Rick Haynes sustain hope for Ed Broughton Barry Delong Bridget Hazelwood Christopher Brown Donna DeLong Joan Hazirjian seriously ill children Kelly Brown Ed and Shea Denning Steve and Sherry Helton by keeping their Aniesha Lisane Bryant Anna Dettmer Robert Henard families close. Gary and Fain Buete Bob Diegelman Peter and Karen Henderson William Buie Paul Dolan Joseph and Kathleen Hennen Jose and Erica Calderon Eunice Dove Elinor Hess Rosario and Judith Cappello Mark and Emily Droke Steve and Kristen Hess Celesta Carlson Thomas Dupree Kurt and Brenda Hesse Terry and Sara Carlton Matt Earley Lee and Christie Higley Nadine Carozzi Dennis Ellis Susan Hiles Melissa Carroll John and Christine Felts Walter and Laura Hinson Mary Carter Michael and Barb Fiedler Deanna Hinton Anonymous Linda Chavez Patrick and Pauline Florio Lauren Bromley Hodge Consuelo Allen Don and Stacy Childs James Ford Nicholas and Caron Hodges Thomas Aloi Jordan and Kadri Clark Kim Fortenberry Jeanne Hoffman Evelyn Anderson Brian Clayton Shannon Franks Christopher Hoh Robert and Shannon Daniel, Shea, and Fallon Erwin and Nancy Fuller Billy and Cheryl Honeycutt Anderson Clifford Gene and Anne Gallagher Christopher Hoover Martha Arrington Bernadine Cobb Lola Garbarino Taqueena Hopson Tony and Sylvia Arronte Rev. Ray and Diane Cobb Harriet Garten Tim and Evelyn Hrehor Gunjan Arya, Krish and Vikas Linda Cole James Goertz Nikki Hudson Grover Janet Coleman Gregory Goins William Huggins Glenn Baird Alvaro and Traci Cortez Allan and Laura Gorry Kenney and Angela Hunter Thomas and Barbara Joey Costa and Belen Roslyn Grace Kevin and Carol Jamison Batchelor Baca-Costa Tom Gray and Kathy Franz Thomas Jeffries Sara Becker Tony and Debbie Crabtree Sherry Green D.E. and Anna Johnson Carolyn Beddow Julie Crimmins Lauren Greene Elizabeth Johnson Thomas and Jacqueline Bill and Betsy Crittenden Margie Greene Kerry Johnson Billington Robert and Gerry Crocker Shane and Larissa Griffitts Bryan and Nancy Jones Lisa Blevins Walter and Brenda Cyrus Karl Gutmann Malachi Jones Greg and Traci Boone Stacy Danzey Art Hailey Marilyn Jones Veora Boren George and Peggy Darden Deanna Hall Christopher and Heidi Jurgens Karl Brady David and Kathy Davis Ronnie Harrell Ryan and Katie Keenan Theresa Brightwell Greg and Gwen Davis Amelia Harris Kristy Kent Deborah Britt Jess Davis Justin Harris Karen Kirby Elizabeth Brooks Dawn DeBrew Ed and Kim Haston Bill and Margaret Kiser 4 Lee Neighbors and Emily Mark and Lisa Sacco Schieffer Bill and Veronica Schaeffer Donald Oakley Michael Schiewe Katie Oakley Steve Scianna Mike Olson Wendell and Essa Sconiers Kimberly O’Malley Robert Scutellaro Norman and Gayle Tuomi Hannah Kwiatkowski William Onesti Ralph and Rita Selmont James and Courtney Tysinger Marty and Geri Lail Andrea Ortiz Lyndelle Sherman Dorothy Tyson Rickey and Betty Lancaster Oie and Becky Osterkamp Suzanne Shields Vikki Vilcek Kim Lawson Rishi Oza Clayton and Krisy Sims Patricia Villines Bill and Laura Leary Diane Padgett Marley Sirman Mitzi Viola Chris and Celeste LeBlanc Patty Page Gerald and Melynda Siver Kisha Wallace Michael Lee Barrett and Leslie Parker Cindy Skocik Travis and Cassie Wallace Bob and Jackie Lehman Nick Parsatoon Andrew Slater Debra Walls Thomas and Jany Leiser Vickie Pashion Brian and Nydzia Smith Joseph Ward Tracy and Michelle Leonard Shirali Patel Chris and Michelle Smith Judie Waters Keith and Mary Jane Lewis April Pendergrass Edie Smith Kim Wood Andrea Lloyd Keith and Debra Perry Lindsey Smith Steve and Jane White James and Liz Locke Millie Perry Todd and Michele Snyder Kathleen Whitted Eddie Locklear Mitch and Laura Perry Martha Songayllo-Diamond Mary Ann