RMH

Shawn and Michelle Taylor came to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Toronto in January when their eight-year-old daughter, Laurel, required treatment for a very serious lung disease. Their older daughter, Brianne, has since joined them at the House.

The Taylor family attended our recent golf tournament and told their story. Here is their remarkable journey, in Michelle's own words:

"I would like to begin by introducing our family. My name is Michelle, this is my husband Shawn and my ten-year-old daughter, Brianne. On our shirts is a photo of our eight-year-old daughter, Laurel, and she is why we are here in Toronto. We actually reside in a small northern community in British Columbia called Quesnel. It’s eight hours north of Vancouver and one and a half hours south of Prince George.

Laurel was a very healthy girl until this past fall when I noticed she was failing to thrive. She was losing weight and becoming less active and involved with activities that she normally enjoyed participating in. Our unexpected journey began on December 11, 2014 when our pediatrician told us Laurel had a large heart murmur and an enlarged liver. Four days later, Shawn, Laurel and I were at Vancouver Children’s Hospital where she went through many tests. We only packed enough clothes and things for a week, as we honestly thought it was nothing serious. Day two of our visit, Laurel needed oxygen support and we heard the words Pulmonary Hypertension. Her condition declined rapidly and doctors started the talk with us about lung transplantation. On January 3, Laurel and myself were air ambulanced to SickKids Hospital while Shawn joined us hours later, arriving on a commercial flight.

Those first hours in Toronto, when I wasn’t near Laurel, I cried. I cried because of the journey we were on and because I was homesick.  We were blessed to have a room for us at RMHC Toronto. The next morning, we walked from SickKids to RMHC Toronto and I will always remember how I felt when I walked into the House: I let go of my breath, my shoulders relaxed and I felt comforted. When we first entered our room, I sat down on the couch and my homesickness eased.

With time, RMHC Toronto has become our "home away from home." We are truly blessed everyday to be part of this community, where the staff and volunteers are beyond wonderful and the families understand and connect. Our oldest daughter, Brianne joined us at the house in May and loves it here. There are many activities and events at the House that have enabled her to connect with the staff and other children. This has made our time here a positive experience for her and our family.

Laurel became very sick quickly and needed to be connected to a lifesaving device called a Nova Lung while she waited for new lungs. On May 10, I got the best Mother’s Day gift I will ever receive when we were told adult donor lobes became available for Laurel. She is now two months post-transplant and her recovery has been slow, but she is getting better every day. RMHC Toronto has provided us with a place to stay close to the hospital where we can heal together as a family. We will be forever grateful to RMHC Toronto, along with the wonderful, loving staff and volunteers.

Thank you for giving to this charity. It truly means more than words can express."