05 May Caleb’s New Apartment
“Caleb loves to play with his sister in his ‘new apartment,’ which is the Transplant Suite,” says Jamie Byrd, mom to Caleb, 2.
Caleb, from Louisiana, turns 3 this month. He adores his older sister, Kinsley, likes T-Rex and Elsa, and loves to play make believe. Last year, Caleb was diagnosed with Hyper IgM, a genetic immune deficiency disease.
Without a bone marrow transplant, Caleb’s life expectancy was 20 years, so his family traveled to Atlanta for the best possible care for him.
They arrived in Atlanta in January to work with a doctor specializing in Hyper IgM. Caleb endured many chemotherapy sessions. In February, he underwent a bone marrow transplant. The transplant brought a few complications, but Caleb is recovering.
His family is staying with us at our House near Egleston during his recovery. They must be close by in case Caleb has any more complications and are hoping to move back to Louisiana this summer.
“Caleb’s treatment would have been extremely difficult to navigate without Atlanta RMHC,” Jamie says.
The Byrds appreciate our kind and helpful staff and volunteers, the laundry and kitchen facilities, and our Transplant Suites. With medical bills piling up, staying at our House has prevented the additional financial burden and stress of finding a place to stay.
Caleb and his family enjoy taking walks on the trails around our House and eating the hot, delicious meals each night.
“The Atlanta Ronald McDonald House has been a home-away-from-home and a Godsend for us,” Jamie says.
“The amount of support we have received from Atlanta RMHC is immeasurable.”
