Life Changing Holiday
“We hadn’t been on a holiday for five years. We had the most amazing week,” said Fiona.
Thanks to incredible supporters like you, Fiona and her family were able to spend quality time together as a family, holidaying at the Ronald McDonald Family Retreat in Forster.
Fiona is a single parent to Abigail and Max. Max is living with a neurological condition called Batten’s Disease
Max is 14 years old and has been in and out of hospital since he was five. He needs 24 hours a day care.
Ronald McDonald House became a refuge for Fiona and her daughter Abigail. It was a place for them to be together in the early days of Max’s illness. Over the years, Max hasn’t required as many long hospital stays, but they still make use of the Family Room at Gosford Hospital when they are having appointments or treatment.
Fiona said their holiday at the Family Retreat in Forster was truly life changing.
“I didn’t think there was anywhere we could go that would work with Max in a wheelchair, having to take all his equipment as well as requiring Max’s support worker. I can’t do it all by myself but getting a place at the retreat was incredible for us.”
The Retreat is built to be accessible, so it was easy to take all of Max’s equipment. Fiona was able to have Max’s support worker there which allowed her to have a much-needed break.
“We got to sit out in the sun, all the kids at the Retreat swan and played games together and we had a barbecue with the other families. It was a lovely time,” said Fiona.
Fiona, Max and Abigail have been to the retreat twice now. The last time they were able to go on a dolphin cruise. “ It was a beautiful day on the water. We would not have been able to have that time together as a family without the retreat. I want to go back as soon as we can,” said Fiona.
It’s all thanks to your incredible generosity that families like Fiona’s are able to holiday together as a family and have the support of the Family Room within the hospital whenever they need it.
