“Talking with other parents at the House about our journeys while Cami was able to run off and play with her friends was wonderful,” says Courtney Jackson, mom to Cami.

Cami, 8, was diagnosed with brain cancer and stayed with her family at our Ronald McDonald House near Egelston while she received treatment. Cami and her brother loved to play with the other children in our playroom.

Having friends to play with after long days of treatment helped keep her spirits up. At our House, Cami met her friend, Amelia Ellinburg. Amelia and Cami have lots of fun together and love to do arts and crafts, eat snacks from our pantry, and play dress up.

Amelia, 6, stayed at our House with her parents, Elizabeth and Chase, while she received treatment for Rhabdomyosarcoma. “Having people to interact and play with was special for Amelia and led to her developing sweet friendships and having a lot of fun,” Chase says.

Kids make friends every day at our Atlanta Ronald McDonald Houses, as do their families, who become support systems for one another and create special bonds.

“Being a parent of a child with cancer is something you can’t explain, so you really develop a kindred spirit with others walking similar paths,” Elizabeth says.