Liliana is your typical four-year-old – full of life, always curious, and endlessly loving. She adores music, singing, and playing pretend. She also happens to be navigating a complex medical journey. She has a rare genetic mutation that requires constant medical attention, including surgeries, therapies, and regular visits to a team of specialists. But through it all, Liliana remains the joyful, vibrant little girl her parents know and love.
Liliana’s parents were blindsided. One moment, they were just living their everyday lives. The next, they were being told Liliana needed advanced care that their hometown hospital in Columbus, Georgia, couldn’t provide. She was life-flighted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA), and they dropped everything to be with her.
In the rush, they forgot the basics of extra clothes, toiletries, and phone chargers. All the little things that don’t seem so little when you’re living in a hospital room. “That’s when the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House stepped in and changed everything,” says mom Cylina Noell.
“From the moment we walked through the doors, we felt relief, like we could breathe again. The house had everything we didn’t have time to think about – laundry/washing machines, warm meals, a quiet place to rest. It felt like a home away from home in the middle of chaos.“
One day, they were discharged from the hospital in the late afternoon, with a follow-up appointment scheduled for early the next morning. Cylina said, “Driving hours back home just to turn around and return didn’t make sense. The Atlanta Ronald McDonald House filled that gap seamlessly. No questions, no stress, just help when we needed it most.”
While in the house, Liliana experienced a medical episode and needed to be rushed back to the hospital by ambulance. Since they were staying so close to the hospital, they were able to get Liliana to the hospital quickly. They called ARMHC to extend their stay, and Cylina said, “the answer was a simple: “Of course.” That kind of support is hard to put into words. The staff genuinely cares about families like ours. They notice when you’re worn out. They check in when you haven’t had a chance to check on yourself. It’s a kind of love, compassion and experience you don’t forget.”
Liliana has a lifetime of medical visits in her future, but thankfully, ARMHC is just one phone call away. “We are so thankful for the peace of mind, the reassurance, and support we have and will continue to receive through the Atlanta Ronald McDonald Houses. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” says Cylina.
