Ana knows, firsthand, the impact the Ronald McDonald House can have on a family. In 2000, then 15-year-old Ana was rushed by helicopter to Tucson for emergency heart surgery. Ana and her family lived in Yuma, where specialized treatment from a world-class surgeon isn’t always available. Luckily for her, the University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson had one such doctor. The major medical procedure could be performed, however, it would require the family to be 3.5 hours away from home.
The Tucson Ronald McDonald House was available to help them financially and emotionally. Ana’s mom, Evelia, could stay in Tucson while Ana received her care. She could be close to the hospital, avoiding frequent round-trip drives of nearly eight hours, and save thousands of dollars over the course of their eventual year-long stay.
One successful surgery and 14 years later, Ana was back in Tucson for a much more joyful but equally stressful reason. Sweethearts Ana and Eddy had married and worked hard enough to receive promotions and full medical insurance from their employer before deciding to start a family. Ana’s pregnancy, though, was high risk because of her previous heart condition.
Ana needed constant monitoring and a safe environment close to a first-class medical facility. Once again, the Ronald McDonald House was there to help the growing family enter a new chapter in their lives without the burden that travel and finances normally bring.
Eddy and Ana stayed at the House for 21 days. While Ana rested, Eddy was as gracious a guest as one could hope for, eagerly volunteering to help with House projects and cleaning. On April 28th, baby Angel was born at 5 pounds 7 ounces, measuring 19.5 inches. As proud new parents, Ana and Eddy left for home a few days later, beaming ear to ear.
“I never knew that we could be so well taken care of,” says Eddy. “I can’t thank everyone at the Ronald McDonald House enough. I needed to be there to take care of my wife, and you all made that possible. This was a stressful situation, but we had the best experience. Thank you.”
