Every year, Michelle decorates her fireplace with a celebratory display for her boys’ birthdays. But when her son Liam’s most recent birthday arrived, the family wasn’t at home. They were navigating the aftermath of his transplant.

“Birthdays are a big deal in our home,” says Michelle, whose family stayed at Ronald McDonald House Arkansas and North Louisiana’s Little Rock campus after her son’s surgery. “When Liam celebrated his birthday here, the staff graciously let me decorate the fireplace mantel in the main gathering area.”

The celebration continued as RMH welcomed Liam’s family and friends and even organized a motorcycle parade in his honor.

“It transformed what could have been a difficult birthday into a memory our family will cherish forever,” Michelle says.

Since the first RMH opened in Little Rock in 1981, the organization has been a “home” for more than 70,000 families whose children were receiving hospital care. There, families receive the comforts of home at no cost while staying close to their child.

“Their compassion goes far beyond simply providing a place to stay,” Michelle says. “The generosity from volunteers and donations allowed us and so many families to focus on what matters most: our child.”

“Our goal is simple,” CEO Janell Mason says. “We know families are stronger when they’re together. When a child is fighting for their life, family isn’t a visitor. Family stays. And we’ll be there to support them every step of the way.”

It’s fundraising events like October’s A Night in Vegas that help RMH provide that support and create meaningful memories like Liam’s for countless families each year.

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