Hanna:
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis
The apartments at Ronald McDonald House of Memphis have provided not just shelter but also a place where this family feels an invaluable sense of relief from the day-to-day battles they endure while their four year old receives treatment at St. Jude.
Hanna’s bubbly, inviting personality puts me immediately at ease as we begin to talk. She and I simultaneously tuck one of our legs under our bottoms and lean against the back of the leather sofa. It feels as though we are two friends just catching up on old times when in fact, I’ve only just met her. While I embrace her calm demeanor she explains that some people haven’t always been so accepting of it. They assumed since her son is being treated for cancer at St. Jude she would be predisposed to daily bouts of crying. “The last time I cried was in June, on the day Jack had his surgery. I haven’t cried since.” Hanna says the strength she’s found and now taps into is the result of realizing her purpose in life, leaning into her faith in God, and being grateful for the many blessings that have come her way through the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis. Those blessings include her family being given the opportunity to stay in one of two apartments at RMH Memphis for the duration of Jack’s protocol, which is expected to last fourteen months.
Hanna’s bubbly, inviting personality puts me immediately at ease as we begin to talk. She and I simultaneously tuck one of our legs under our bottoms and lean against the back of the leather sofa. It feels as though we are two friends just catching up on old times when in fact, I’ve only just met her. While I embrace her calm demeanor she explains that some people haven’t always been so accepting of it. They assumed since her son is being treated for cancer at St. Jude she would be predisposed to daily bouts of crying. “The last time I cried was in June, on the day Jack had his surgery. I haven’t cried since.” Hanna says the strength she’s found and now taps into is the result of realizing her purpose in life, leaning into her faith in God, and being grateful for the many blessings that have come her way through the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis. Those blessings include her family being given the opportunity to stay in one of two apartments at RMH Memphis for the duration of Jack’s protocol, which is expected to last fourteen months.
I see the light in her eyes when she shares that during her parents’ visits, they take full advantage of the kitchen in the apartment. She, Jack and Jack’s father enjoy the delicious Louisiana cuisine that they grew up with and that, she says, is better even than the best food found in New Orleans. The sheer excitement with which she talks about having their “very own” full-sized kitchen convinces me that the old saying holds true, at least for this family: food heals the soul.
We talk about Jack, but not so much what he is going through; rather, who he IS. Hanna can’t contain her pride when she speaks of his tenacity or her joy when she reflects on his playful personality. That playfulness was another reason they were so overwhelmed with gratitude when they moved into the apartment at RMH. She said Jack darted from room to room, exploring every corner of his new space. I knew exactly what she was describing because I’ve seen this excited state of exploration with my own son many times.
“Having more space makes all the difference with a young boy, right?” I ask.
“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Hanna says.
And although the treatments have taken a lot out of Jack and he’s not as active as he used to be, she says he makes sure they are fully aware that his room is- his room!
I ask Hanna to describe in one sentence how she feels when she opens the door to their apartment after getting back from a long day at St. Jude, or even after returning from a short trip home to Louisiana (which they’ve done only twice in the past seven months.)
“Relief. I feel safe again.”
“Even after you’ve been home to Louisiana?”
“Especially after I’ve been there and come back.”
She says Jack has actually begun referring to RMH as home and that having the apartment in which to live has made a tremendous difference in their lives and lifestyle.
“Relief,” Hanna says again, softly. “I just feel relief.”
We talk about Jack, but not so much what he is going through; rather, who he IS. Hanna can’t contain her pride when she speaks of his tenacity or her joy when she reflects on his playful personality. That playfulness was another reason they were so overwhelmed with gratitude when they moved into the apartment at RMH. She said Jack darted from room to room, exploring every corner of his new space. I knew exactly what she was describing because I’ve seen this excited state of exploration with my own son many times.
“Having more space makes all the difference with a young boy, right?” I ask.
“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Hanna says.
And although the treatments have taken a lot out of Jack and he’s not as active as he used to be, she says he makes sure they are fully aware that his room is- his room!
I ask Hanna to describe in one sentence how she feels when she opens the door to their apartment after getting back from a long day at St. Jude, or even after returning from a short trip home to Louisiana (which they’ve done only twice in the past seven months.)
“Relief. I feel safe again.”
“Even after you’ve been home to Louisiana?”
“Especially after I’ve been there and come back.”
She says Jack has actually begun referring to RMH as home and that having the apartment in which to live has made a tremendous difference in their lives and lifestyle.
“Relief,” Hanna says again, softly. “I just feel relief.”