2026 F A M I L Y
P R O F I L E
Roland Family Home: Osceola, MO (St. Clair County)
“We are the Rolands from Osceola, MO. In July of 2024,
we welcomed our baby into the world earlier than we expected and with some complications. Susanna was born at 35 weeks, weighing 3 lbs. 15 oz. She was taken to the NICU immediately and placed on oxygen and a feeding tube. What we hoped would be a short NICU stay turned into a five-week stay. We were an hour and a half away from home, and I (Mom) was not going to leave my baby behind. While at Cox South Hospital, a social worker told us about the Ronald McDonald House program and helped get us in contact and approved to stay. We were shocked at how close it was to the hospital—you could walk there if you wanted. Not only was the Ronald McDonald House so close to Cox, but it always had the things you needed. A few things that really meant a lot to me when reflecting back on our stay were the little things, like leftovers in the fridge so when I’d come in late and exhausted, I could just grab something quickly. Another was being able to do my laundry when I came in. The House provided everything for us, including the laundry soap. During our NICU stay, RMH gave us a sense of normal when our world was chaotic. A NICU stay can bring every emotion imaginable, so having a place to go to step away and regroup was truly a blessing. You always hear about the Ronald McDonald House, but you don’t fully realize what they do or how much help they provide until you’re going through the struggle yourself. We are forever grateful for the Ronald McDonald House. They supported us so we could support our baby and focus on getting her home.”
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