Every three months, Claire Flaherty, 8, has to undergo a week of medical testing, and she doesn’t like any of it.” I don’t think she’d be as cooperative about going to Buffalo every 90 days if she didn’t have the Ronald McDonald House to look forward to,” said her mother, Kathleen.
Claire has multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system. The Flahertys live in Almont, Michigan. They make the five-hour trip to Buffalo because it has one of only six Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence in the United States.
Claire takes potent medication to keep her disease under control, but she requires careful monitoring. That includes tests where she can’t eat or drink, tests where she has to stay still for long periods, and tests that involve needles and IV’s.
Luckily, Claire can find respite at the Ronald McDonald House. She loves the playroom. She loves playing checkers in the living room with anybody who is willing to play with her. She likes to help in the kitchen by setting the table, cleaning up and loading the dishwasher.
“She’s artsy-craftsy, so we like to make something that we can leave for others at the House,” her mother said.
Sometimes the whole family makes the trip, and the staff and volunteers make sure that Joseph, 11, doesn’t feel left out.
“Everybody goes out of their way to make guests feel as comfortable as possible,” Claire’s mother said.
“It feels like home,” said Claire’s father, Michael.
The family has made good friends with others staying at the house. “People who don’t have children who have chronic illnesses or are in the hospital don’t always understand what you’re going through,” Claire’s mother said. “Sometimes you want to talk to somebody, and the best person to talk to is someone who is going through the same thing you are.”
After a long day at the hospital, the family doesn’t have to worry about cooking a meal. “It amazes me to this day all the different businesses and organizations that come in to support the House,” Claire’s mother said. “It’s inspiring. I can’t express how grateful I am to them and everyone who helps out.”
The Ronald McDonald House does more than make an unpleasant experience more tolerable for Claire. It makes Claire’s treatment at the center of excellence possible—the family couldn’t afford weeks in a hotel every year.
“The most important thing for me is that we’re going to be traveling back and forth to Buffalo until Claire is an adult,” her mother said. “If we didn’t have the Ronald McDonald House, we couldn’t afford to go.
“I hope they’re there for a while because I don’t know what I’d do without them.”