01 Feb For the Love of Family

Posted at 00:00h in Families by

In 2016, Alicia and Fred Mills were shocked to learn that their 7-month-old baby girl, Gianna, had been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and would require surgery to repair holes in her heart. Alicia and Fred knew that they would be able to stay at the hospital with Gianna, but they worried about their 3-year-old daughter, Katalaya, who had never spent a night apart from them. Fortunately, we were able to provide a temporary home for the entire Mills family, including Alicia’s parents who helped care for Katalaya and provided added support.

“The CNY Ronald McDonald House was a lovely place to stay. Everyone made you feel at home and the meals were amazing,” said Alicia. “The rooms were cozy and just what Katalaya and my parents needed to feel at peace while we stayed in the hospital with Gianna.”

Thankfully, Gianna had a successful surgery and, after an 11-day stay, the Mills family returned home together. Today, Gianna is doing wonderfully.

“We will always be grateful for the CNY Ronald McDonald House and all of the positives it brought to us during such a difficult time,” said Alicia.