NewsRadio Savannah and our sponsors The Dewitt Tilton Group and Express Employment introduces you to the Hester family and their Ronald McDonald House Of The Coastal Empire experience:
We spent 126 days at the Ronald McDonald House of the Coastal Empire while our son was in the NICU, and this is our story!
Our first ultrasound in July confirmed our pregnancy was strong and healthy. We decided to inform our daughters and close friends and family. Unfortunately, in October, I was admitted to the hospital following concerning symptoms. The next day, I woke up in a pool of blood. I was then airlifted to Savannah’s Memorial Hospital.
Strapped to a gurney and experiencing contractions, I was reassured that Memorial had a great NICU to care for both me and the baby. After landing I had an emergency C-section due to extreme complications. At 1:15 p.m. on October 25, our son Will was born at 25 weeks and 6 days, weighing 2.3 lbs and measuring 10 inches long. We had to wait 12 agonizing hours to see him. We were grateful he was in such good hands.
The next day, we met his primary nurse, who advised me to apply for a stay at the Ronald McDonald House. We are extremely grateful to RMHC, the staff, and the volunteers for everything. Staying close to the hospital meant everything to us as we faced the very long road ahead. Baby Will underwent multiple surgeries, faced complications, and confronted setbacks.
At just a few weeks old, and still so tiny, he had an ostomy, a chest tube, a breathing tube, and a central line. It was scary to see for all of us, but baby Will had a fight left to fight.
I was able to hold him for the first time after nearly a month. At that same time he was diagnosed with stage two retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
My husband and I got to take our little boy home on February 29, 2024. He was four months old. We have been grateful to be able to stay at RMHC for subsequent visits to Memorial instead of commuting.
Today, Will is healthy and happy, weighs 25 pounds, and has overcome so much in a year. He continues to fight every day, having been diagnosed with epilepsy that is being treated with medicine.
We are blessed and grateful to have RMHC as part of our story.
How to help:
⏰ Accepting monetary donations between Now - December 16th, 2024
📍 Please deliver all cash, check, and gift card donations directly to iHeartMedia Savannah, 245 Alfred Street Savannah, GA 31408
💳Forms of donations accepted:
- Click here to make an online donation to the RMH. Add "Shop With A Cop" in memo.
- Checks made out to Ronald McDonald House with "Shop With A Cop" in memo.
- Visa, Master Card, AmEx or Target cards.
- Cash
Sponsored by The Dewitt Tilton Group and Express Employment!