24 Oct Guy Family Pays It Forward During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

“After being in the hospital for a month, staying at Atlanta RMHC felt like the perfect transition – we were safe, comfortable, and close to the hospital just in case! We had a place to recover before heading home,” Breanna Guy says.

During September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Breanna and her husband, Brandon, hosted a food drive for our Ronald McDonald Houses, thanks to generosity of friends and family.

The Guy family stayed in the Bone Marrow Transplant suite at our Ronald McDonald House near Egleston for four nights in March while their 3-year-old son, Brayden, received a stem cell transplant. Brayden is being treated for Neuroblastoma.

The House provided the family with a place to rest and transition before Brayden was cleared to go home. “We had a place to recover from the hospital before we headed home and got dropped right back into regular life,” Breanna says.

Without the Ronald McDonald House, the Guy family would have had to stay in a hotel during Brayden’s treatment. “We would have had to pay out of pocket for it which would have caused financial stress on our family,” she says.

The Guys enjoyed the laundry room, playrooms, kitchen, pantry, dining room, porch and having a safe and refrigerated place to put Brayden’s IV fluids. “I honestly think my favorite part was having a private room and being comfortable and safe,” Breanna says.

As for Brayden, his favorite part was being able to play. He felt more at home than he did in the hospital. “Once we got there, he started eating and drinking normal and acting like himself again. It was wonderful,” Breanna says.

“Atlanta RMHC takes care of so many people. A lot of families would not be able to receive the treatment needed for their child without them. It is a HUGE blessing, and I’m glad we got to experience it – even if it was just for a few days,” Breanna says.

The family had an amazing stay because of everything that was available. “It was just so much nicer than we ever expected,” Breanna says. They encourage more people to get involved in supporting Atlanta RMHC.

For more information on how you can get involved, visit our Ways to Help.