Meet Danielle, Tyler & Jack

My name is Danielle Morris. My and I are from Kitchener, Ontario and we stayed at RMHC®SCO for 210 nights when my son was born at just 24 weeks gestation.

Hometown Kitchener

Service Used Hamilton House, Hamilton Family Room

Days 210

Our Story

I am writing to you about a chapter in my life that I never thought my family would experience - it all began at week 24 in my pregnancy. My husband Tyler and I struggled with infertility for years; to add to this struggle, we had to wait patiently through the global pandemic to start fertility treatment. Finally, after what seemed like forever, we found out we were pregnant with our son, Jack!

Easter Sunday of 2022, we went to the hospital in our hometown of Waterloo as I had a feeling something wasn’t right. I had a healthy pregnancy up until that day, so we expected it would be a quick visit. I was assessed by doctor after doctor, until there were 15 people in the room, all with concern on their faces. I was told I was being transferred to McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton and that our son may be born that day, only 24 weeks along. Those are words you never want to hear, especially so unexpectedly.

I was put on bed rest immediately at McMaster in hopes of keeping our son safe for a little longer. Four days later, our son was born by emergency c-section at 24 weeks, 4 days old. Since our home is over an hour drive from McMaster - the place our newborn son would be treated for some time - our social worker immediately referred us to Ronald McDonald House Charities South Central Ontario (RMHC SCO).

In the midst of the craziness in McMaster’s NICU, recovering from emergency surgery, and leaving the hospital without our baby in tow, we were greeted with such kindness and light at RMHCSCO. After we were taken to our room, Tyler and I just looked at each other in disbelief at how amazing the room was, and the love we were shown upon arrival. Tears were shed.

After 210 days in the NICU, the day came that we were able to take our Jack home in November of 2022. We were ecstatic, but very quickly I realized how much I was going to miss being in the House everyday.

The House was the one steady constant throughout the roller coaster journey we experienced. Our room, the comfort of that space. The space where I was comfortable enough to figure out this new version of myself leaving my baby at the hospital every night. The House became my home, it truly did and I know so many other families who feel the same way. I will always share our amazing experience with RMHC SCO because it truly was a life changing chapter of our lives and we will never forget it.

I don't think I fully understood, the moment we walked into our room at the House, what this place would mean to us. And it makes me emotional to talk about it but I'm so grateful for this organization and for Ronald McDonald House here in Hamilton.

I think people that have never been through a situation with a sick child need to know that their support matters. Their donations matter. Their support on McHappy Day matters. I'm living proof of it. And when you support an organization like this, you're not only helping a sick child but you're helping their family just cope through the day to day and sometimes that means more than anything. So if you do support, know that you are helping so many people like myself - families in all different situations, usually in their darkest hours.

When you support RMHCSCO you are supporting families like ours, who are forever grateful.