When Luciana and Giovanni found out they were expecting twin boys, they were overjoyed – but soon, worry took over when they learned the boys had a rare and dangerous condition and needed emergency surgery to survive. Then, Francesco and Alessio were born at Surrey Memorial Hospital at just 26 weeks, three months too soon.

“Those days were filled with fear, uncertainty, exhaustion, alarms, tears, doctors, nurses, and so many moments where we felt completely overwhelmed,” remembers Luciana. “As parents, all you want is to stay close to your children. Especially when they are fighting so hard.”

But home was a long bus ride away from the hospital for these physically and emotionally exhausted new parents. They had no idea how they would manage, until they were offered a room at the Ronald McDonald House Family Room, just steps from the NICU inside Surrey Memorial Hospital.

For Luciana, the Family Room was a place where she could finally breathe, have a cup of coffee or a snack, and most importantly, stay close to her babies day and night when every milestone meant the world.

Today, Francesco and Alessio are home, growing, smiling, laughing, discovering the world around them, and filling their home with life. Luciana hopes other families can find the same hope she did. “There is hope, even during hard moments.”

In April 2024, Tammy and Travis Farac were doing what they do every day: working hard to run their small family business. Then they got the call. Their doctor was concerned about their son’s 20-week ultrasound and they needed to travel to Vancouver right away.

There they learned that baby Luca would be born with a heart defect, and Tammy needed to stay in Vancouver until his birth. During this time of uncertainty, 5 hours away from home, Ronald McDonald House became a safe place for Tammy to stay just steps from the hospital. Unable to enjoy the usual milestones like setting up a nursery and collecting baby supplies, she was grateful for staff at the House who helped take care of all the details so she could focus on the most important things.

When Luca was 4 months old, they needed to travel again for open heart surgery – where lung complications led to another unexpected stay in Vancouver. Tammy remembers, “I don’t know what we would have done without Ronald McDonald House: knowing that we could stay as long as we needed to, and we didn’t have to leave him alone. I can’t imagine how much worse it would have been, having to stay in a hotel.”

Along with reducing their financial burden, the House also provided a community with other families who simply understand, Grab and Go snacks on the way to the hospital, and the Pet Therapy program when they were missing their dog at home.

As Luca grows older, the family may need to return to Vancouver for more surgery, but for now, the Farac family has pledged to give back and make sure there is always room at Ronald McDonald House for families like theirs.

At their 20-week scan, the Goerz family learned that their new baby had spina bifida. After fetal surgery in Toronto, they would need to spend the rest of the pregnancy in Vancouver. Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon provided a safe place to land (and space to play) close to the hospital for mom, dad, and big brother Elijah.

Staying at the House helped to relieve the financial pressure of being in Vancouver, and also gave the Goerz family the time and space to take care of each other. Dad River remembers, “When we were down in Vancouver, Amy was on modified bedrest and was barely able to get out of bed. The fact that they provide some meals for you, and that they have a stocked pantry – it made it so easy for me to be running around with Elijah and also taking care of Amy.”

For Elijah, who was 2 ½ at the time and who had his life uprooted along with his parents, the House was a place to play, make new friends, and burn off energy in fun environment. He especially loved being creative in Music Therapy, and was even able to record a song for his new baby sister!

“Even with how difficult it is being away from home, while having this huge medical situation hanging over you, this is the best place to do it,” says River.

When they were able to return home with their new baby Eloise, Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon continued to have an impact for the Goerz family. When they needed to bring Eloise to the University Hospital of Northern BC, they were able to find comfort in the Ronald McDonald House Family Room inside the hospital. “We walked in and almost started crying,” says River. “The way that they’ve taken a piece of the Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver and brought it here – it’s obviously not to the same scale but has the similar caring environment, the friendly staff, and the amazing amenities.”

When their daughter Enea was sent to Vancouver for a biopsy, the Pagnotta family planned for a day trip — but then they found themselves admitted to the hospital. Further tests revealed a diagnosis of lymphoma, a rare form with only 75 reported cases in the world.

Over 309 nights, Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon helped to take care of the whole Pagnotta family so they could focus on helping Enea to heal.

When it was a challenge to support one healthy active child, and one child undergoing treatment and feeling ill, programs such as Art Therapy helped to provide a solution. The Pagnottas also loved being able to get outside, even if just for a walk to and from the hospital.

The Meals From the Heart program also provided relief for tired parents, and the Pagnottas also enjoyed the kitchens for the sense of togetherness and community they provided. “Enea was in the kitchen with us a lot and helping to cook. It was something that she could do that was not too physical, and she could still engage with us as a family,” remembers Kathryn. The Pagnottas also welcomed the companionship and shared understanding with other families who truly understood what they were going through.

The Pagnottas credit their stay at Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon with being able to stay together throughout Enea’s treatment. “It feels like a heaviness or a burden is taken off when you know that you have a spot at Ronald McDonald House,” says Kathryn. “We would not have been able to stay together at all without it.”

Now back at home, the Pagnottas have kept some traditions that started at Ronald McDonald House – like decorating each others’ doors for their birthdays!