My 5-year-old son, Brennan, was diagnosed with a brain tumor after suffering from seizures. Our family’s world changed in a matter of seconds, but from the moment we got the news from the doctors in Reno, Nevada, I felt like giant arms picked my family up and carried us all to the finish line. For Brennan, my 8-year-old daughter Regan, my mother, and me, Ronald McDonald House in Oakland made all the difference.
While the doctors at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital dealt with what Brennan called his “brain bump,” the Ronald McDonald House Oakland helped to heal our hearts. When we first walked through the doors of the House, a volunteer handed Brennan a hand-made quilt. My mom had made quilts as I was growing up and I knew the detail and time they took to create. I thought we were just borrowing it, but it was a gift and became the perfect metaphor for the care that literally wrapped around us at the House.
For Brennan, the House was a wonderland to explore. There was a playroom, a backyard to run around in and so many toys! At one point after we checked in, Brennan ran to the playroom and returned wearing a full Iron Man outfit just as happy as he could be. The next day, he was playing outside riding a tricycle in full Storm Trooper gear. Here was a 5-year-old with a life-threatening brain tumor, and he didn’t have a care in the world! He was just a kid, surrounded by his family and a community that welcomed him in.
