Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa
1441 Pleasant St.
Des Moines, IA 50314
Phone: (515) 243-2111 (near Blank Children’s Hospital)
Phone:(515) 724-0700 (at MercyOne Children’s Hospital)
Fax: (515) 280-3111
For General Information Please Email:
info@rmhdesmoines.org
For Volunteer Information Please Email:
volunteer@rmhdesmoines.org
In May 2013 I found out via ultrasound that our baby boy had Spina Bifida. We were all shocked and clueless as to what that meant. I had known for weeks that there was something off, something different, maybe even wrong. Those feelings were the reason I had chosen to get the blood work done […]
“She can’t talk but communicates in various ways. She winks. She sticks out her tongue. She smiles that smile. She moves her leg when watching soccer or hockey on television and someone scores.”
Cory and Lacey Plants share the story of their time spent at the Des Moines Ronald McDonald House in 2009 and most recently at the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Mercy Medical Center.
We wanted to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being our “home away from home” for such a long time! Our stay at the House from the end of September 2013 to nearly the end of January 2014 was not how we necessarily intended to spend four months’ time, to say the least. But we were blown away by the kindness and acceptance we were shown from the first phone call we made to the House to find a place to stay. Over the course of the four months we were residents at the House, we were treated with the utmost respect by everyone associated with the House.
“Thank you for being such a life saver during such a difficult time for our family. We were overwhelmed by the generosity and caring support we received during our four-month stay. The friendly staff and wonderful volunteers along with families, organizations and businesses who donated time and resources truly made it our home-away-from-home.”
On June 4, at 2 a.m., Jackie Hoover checked in to Mercy Medical Center. A few hours earlier, she was prepping for bed when she began bleeding severely. Jackie, who was 25 weeks pregnant, drove herself to Kossuth Regional Health Center in Algona. From there Jackie was transferred to Mercy, where she was diagnosed with […]
Quentin was born at 28 weeks. He weighed 3lbs 3oz. He spent 71 days in the NICU. I spent every morning/afternoon with him and my husband every evening. The last six days of our stay we were able to stay at the RMH. The timing of this was perfect. Our son was learning to eat […]
“Without the Des Moines Ronald McDonald House, we would not have been able to visit our own daughter everyday in the hospital.”
The Ronald McDonald House was a godsend! I had my son Eli 12 weeks early and I wound up staying at the House from February 13th until May 9th. It was my home for 3 months. While I was living there during the week, I went to the hospital for most of the day and […]
Our Daughter, Eden, was born two weeks early, but her hemoglobin levels were very low and she weighed only 4 pounds. She was taken to Blank Children’s Hospital right away, and some wonderful doctors and nurses took care of her there for two weeks. We stayed at the Ronald McDonald House during our last week […]
I was admitted to the hospital at 25 weeks, being diagnosed with Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome. After being on bed rest for 7.5 weeks, my placenta was failing and she was not getting enough nutrients through the umbilical cord. The doctors decided to induce me and Sadie was born 7.5 weeks early weighing 3.6 pounds […]
“We really don’t know how sane we would be if it wasn’t for the sincere love of the staff here…I couldn’t hope for better hands to be in at the Ronald McDonald House. They are a very sincere group of people.”
Jacobi was born at 30 weeks weighing only 2 lbs even and 12 1/2 inches long. We were in the Mercy NICU for 87 days. Although I stayed at the Ronald McDonald House for only about three weeks of our NICU stay, it was a get away for me and my family when they could visit. […]
My son Quentin James Sturges was born at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines on August 17, 2014 at 30 weeks and weighed 2lbs and 3 oz. He was in the NICU at Mercy Hospital for 8 weeks. Ronald McDonald House was a lifesaver in providing myself and my mother a place to call home for this lengthy stay. Quentin is now almost […]
Volunteer James Wilhelmi with Your Other Right Productions produced this video for us highlighting two of our families.
Kenzie was born at 30 weeks. She was due on June 8th and she was born on April 1st. We stayed in the hospital for 43 days. I stayed at the Ronald McDonald house for 2 weeks. I was very impressed by how helpful the staff was and how amazing that place really is. I didn’t realize how special it was until I had […]
“We stay at the Ronald McDonald House…because we live too far to travel every day to the hospital. My mom and I just love everyone at Ronald’s House, especially Brenda, Florence, Jack, Lynn, even Al! They are awesome!”
Claire Olivia Langkamp has been a miracle from the start. After working with a fertility specialist, a two vessel umbilical cord diagnosis, countless ultrasounds, fetal stress tests, and a scary labor, she was born screaming and seemingly healthy. Doctors noticed her oxygen levels were dropping and transported us to Blank Children’s Hospital from Oskaloosa, IA. […]
Words cannot express how grateful we are for the Ronald McDonald House in Des Moines. Our twins were born at 25 weeks 2 days prematurely, so that meant for a long haul for all of us. Being we live two hours north of Des Moines, the commute was going to be very costly and time […]
“For my husband and I, the RMH is a second home. We have a place to eat supper, a place for a shower, it’s the simple things you miss like being able to put your clothes in a dresser and not live out of a suitcase. We thank all of you for changing our life.”
“Living a couple hours away from the hospital, it is so convenient to stay right across the street. We could not go through this without the RMH. The staff, volunteers, and comforts of home are truly amazing. Ronald McDonald House has become a big part of our life and someplace we will continue to use for some time.”
“I couldn’t believe it, for once in my life, I was not handing my baby to a funeral director. I was taking my baby home. Brennon and I rode home, barely talking, looking at our baby and thanking God for this wonderful moment.”
The NICU social worker from Mercy Hospital put Julie in contact with the staff at Ronald McDonald House. Julie had heard of RMH before, but had no idea what a blessing it would become for her family.
“In that time, the House was a place to regroup after long rollercoaster days spent in the NICU. There was always a hot shower, a delicious meal, and a compassionate face waiting for us. Being so close to the hospital meant more time spent with our precious daughter. We were blown away by the love poured into the House by so many volunteers! We spent the entire holiday season at the house. It was such a life changing experience to see such an outpouring of gifts, literally, and also gifts of the heart.”
