More than just a meal

More than Just a Meal

When your baby is struggling to recover from a life-saving surgery, the last thing you want to worry about is what's for dinner. Or, whether you'll sleep on the hospital room's sofa-bed or in the waiting room tonight.

"I'm here for a purpose, and that's to help our child get well," said Yira Alfaro, the mother of one-year-old Andrea who has Hurler's Syndrome and underwent a cord blood transplant at Duke Children's Hospital. Yira and Andrea have been staying at the Ronald McDonald House of Durham to be near the hospital for treatments.

"The Ronald McDonald House has been such a blessing - it's such peace of mind that we can stay here," said Yira, whose husband and 10-year-old son have remained in Puerto Rico because of financial constraints. "They have volunteers who come in and cook dinners - everything makes a difference."

Hurler's Syndrome is a rare, inherited disease, only identified through genetic testing. Because the Alfaros had another daughter who died from Hurler's at the age of five, they had the genetic testing performed during Yira's pregnancy and were prepared to manage Andrea's treatment when she was born.

According to Yira, she selected Duke for treatment because of the hospital's groundbreaking work in unrelated cord blood transplant (donor and patient are not related) and success rate in treating Hurler's. Currently Andrea is undergoing steroid treatment to support her white blood cell count, and Yira said she is "active and happy."

"I'd like to personally thank all the volunteers, and anyone who has ever donated anything to the Ronald McDonald House. Just knowing that people are there to help with our needs means so much."