Right before his second birthday, Zy developed a limp that got worse and worse as the days went by. Zy’s mom and dad decided to seek out medical testing and found that Zy had a fractured femur. After a series of more tests, Zy’s doctors made a shocking discovery.

Tumors.

Zy was diagnosed with stage four high-risk neuroblastoma, and it was clear he needed treatment that his local hospital in El Paso could not offer. Zy would have to travel 600 miles to Cook Children’s in Fort Worth, Texas, to receive treatment that could save his life.

Zy’s parents entered a world of worry and fear, wondering how they could afford to relocate to Fort Worth. That’s when they learned about the Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth (RMHFW).

“The Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth (RMHFW) was offered to us straight away so we wouldn’t have to stress at that time about where we were going to stay and how we were going to pay for it,” Zy’s mom, Priscilla, shared.

RMHFW has given Zy and his mom a place to stay and home-cooked meals throughout the past three years of treatments, testing, and checkups. In total, Zy has stayed at RMHFW 15 times, including 87 days after his second bone marrow transplant.

“Sometimes when we pull up outside after driving for eight hours, Zy will see the House [RMHFW] and say, ’We’re home!’” Priscilla said. “Our experience while staying at RMHFW has been amazing.”

Zy’s favorite parts of RMHFW are the kitchen area, with the playground a close second.

After years of treatment, Zy is cancer-free, but he still visits the Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth for regular checkups.

“Thank you so much for donating to the RMHFW to help families like mine. It takes off a huge stress–the financial burden that we feel with the medical bills, how we are going to eat out here and where we are going to stay. We feel so blessed to get to stay here and be taken care of. So, thank you very much, shared Priscilla.”

With your support, families like Zy’s have peace knowing they can travel to Fort Worth without worrying about where they’ll lay their heads at night or when they’ll get their next meal. Thank you for making all the difference for families facing a life-changing medical journey.