Wah Wah was diagnosed with gastrointestinal hemangioma of tract when she was 5 months old. When Wah Wah was in the hospital for the first two months, her mom was anxious and worried and her dad could not go to work. The couple had to shuttle between their Tai Po home and the hospital every single day. Wah Wah’s sister, Kwan Kwan was nine years old by then. She felt more like an orphan as her parents’ attention was all on Wah Wah. With the existence of the Ronald McDonald House (RMH), their family life and relationship turned normal and better.

They settled in the RMH which would save the travelling time from home to hospital.

The whole family settled down in the house biding farewell to the past weary and exhausting life. They regained the momentum of a normal life. The elder sister Kwan Kwan came to stay in the RMH during weekends and long school holidays to be united with the family. When Wah Wah’s situation was under control as her tumor smaller, the whole family left the house and went home. The family still visits the house in their spare time for gatherings. Kwan Kwan has regained her confidence and pleasantness. She plays with other children in the house to bring warmth and happiness to them, hoping they can recover and go home as soon as possible.

It was the summer of 2013, when Dong Dong was four years old. He was diagnosed with the second stage of acute lymphocytic, which he was in call for an extended and intensified method for treatment. During Dong Dong’s first treatment, a social worker at the hospital introduced to Mrs. Ng (Dong Dong’s mother) about services at RMHC when she understood her living condition in Sheung Shui. Initially, she rejected the offer as it did not occur to her that the service was necessary and she had no desire to leave a home that had been a life-long shelter for the family.

Yet, after bringing Dong Dong to the hospital several times for checkups by buses or trains, it turned out that his physical condition failed to sustain as the long travelling time often resulted in exhaustion. She began to worry for her son’s worsening situation. Finally, Mrs. Ng got the first taste of RMHC’s services in mid-September that same year when her application was approved. RMH has become a temporary home for Mrs. Ng and Dong Dong ever since. They have adapted to the environment really well while Dong Dong continued his treatment with a regular lifestyle maintained by scheduled meal and rest plans.

Unfortunately, Dong Dong’s situation got worse one night and half of his body could not move. Thanks to the fact that he lived close to the hospital, his situation turned stabilized soon after the emergency room visit. Dong Dong had suffered a stroke on his right side of the body, but was fortunate that it did not affect his brain vessels, which would otherwise have affected his brain function as well as his ability to communicate. Words from Mrs. Ng
Other than the cozy and convenient environment provided by RMH, Mrs. Ng is especially impressed with the mutual support, warmth and care shared between parents encountering similar situations. She truly felt that parents in RMH have formed their own big family, striving to survive every single day through the never-ending obstacles.

Mrs. Ng also thanks the volunteers and the heart-warming organizations and celebrities that visited the House for filling the House with joy and liveliness.

Words from Mr Ng
There hasn’t been a single day when Mr. Ng doesn’t feel grateful for the RMHC’s services. Before moving into the House, they used to commute more than two hours to the hospital with Dong Dong in his arms sometimes. The family was later then able to settle down in RMH that provided them with more time and energy to focus on Dong Dong’s recovery. Not only did they have a more spacious and hygienic environment as well as a variety of recreational facilities, this is also the most ideal settlement for Dong Dong to continue his treatment and to stay close with his family. Dong Dong’s elder brother, who visits him during weekend and holidays, is a lot happier than before and has seen improvements in his grades with the guidance of volunteers helping with his homework.