Ronald McDonald House
The house that became our home away from home
How Ronald McDonald House Manchester supported our family through 101 days in the NICU, and why we will never forget it
Our story
The night we thought we might lose him
Theo was born at 28 weeks and 4 days, weighing 600 grams, at Royal Preston Hospital. For the first five days of his life, James and I barely left his side. We learned the language of NICU fast because we had to. The monitors, the numbers, the alarms. We just focused on him.
Then on day five, everything changed again. Theo's tummy became swollen and discoloured. Doctors explained quickly. He had developed a bowel perforation and needed emergency surgery at a specialist children's hospital in Manchester. He was transferred by ambulance that night and we followed behind.
He went straight into surgery as soon as we arrived. We signed a consent form that night acknowledging he might not survive the operation. Then we waited. We walked the corridors of that hospital for hours, not knowing what was going to happen, hoping and praying that our little boy would make it through.
When the surgeon finally came out and told us the surgery had gone as well as it possibly could, the relief was indescribable. Against everything they had expected, Theo had survived.
It was only after that, once we knew he was through, that someone quietly took the next problem off our hands. We had not even thought about where we were going to sleep. We did not need to.
"We were told not to worry and that arrangements had been made for us to stay at Ronald McDonald House, right next door to the hospital. We had no idea what that even meant. We were about to find out."
Before that night, I had always put my loose change into the little charity boxes at the McDonald's drive-through without really thinking about it. I had no idea what Ronald McDonald House actually did for families. From that point on, I understood completely.
Rachael and Theo in the NICU
Life in the house
What it actually meant to have somewhere to go
The rooms in the house were each themed and sponsored by different donors. We stayed in the football room. Walking in for the first time, after the longest night of our lives, it felt warm. It felt like somewhere that someone had thought about properly. Not a waiting room. Not a clinical space. A home.
Knowing we were only five minutes away from Theo made it that little bit easier to leave the hospital at night. We could still be there quickly. We could sleep properly and come back the next morning. That proximity mattered more than I can really put into words.
During the days I was at Theo's side constantly. One of the things I spent hours doing, phone in hand, sitting next to his incubator, was searching for clothes that would actually fit him. He was surrounded by wires and tubes and monitors, and so much of that was completely out of my control. But finding him something soft that fit properly — something that made him look, even just for a moment, like a baby rather than a patient — felt like the one thing I could do. It was harder than it should have been. Most premature baby clothing started at sizes he would not reach for weeks. When we eventually found things that fit, it genuinely meant something. That experience is part of why Simply Preemie exists.
There would be gifts and small donations left at your door. Gestures from people you had never met who simply wanted to help. Theo was born in November and we were there over Christmas. The house did things to make that time a little easier. I have never forgotten that.
Something that stayed with me was hearing about people who had donated large amounts anonymously. They were not doing it for recognition. They simply wanted to help families going through something terrible. I think that is one of the most quietly extraordinary things a person can do.
"We met some incredible people in that house. There was one lady who listened to us, supported us, helped us through some of our worst days. When we eventually heard what her child was going through, it was far worse than anything we were facing. She was carrying that, and still showing up for others. It put things into perspective in a way I will never forget."
Theo came home after 101 days. Leaving Ronald McDonald House for the last time was emotional in a way that is hard to describe. We were grateful. We were relieved. And something about leaving felt significant, because that place had held us together during the hardest stretch of our lives.
We still go back to Manchester regularly for Theo's appointments. And even now, years later, that part of the city does not feel frightening the way you might expect. It feels strangely familiar and comfortable. I think that is entirely because of our time in Ronald McDonald House. It gave us something good to hold onto, even in the middle of something terrifying.
Theo today
From 600 grams to the boy who fills every room
Theo is now a bright, joyful little boy who fills every room he walks into. From a baby who fit in the palm of a hand, he is now a boy who runs and laughs and plays on his Nintendo Switch and makes everyone who meets him smile.
Nothing has ever come easily for Theo. But he has never let that stop him. He is, and always will be, our strongest fighter.
I always knew I wanted to find a way to give something back. That feeling never went away. It is part of why Simply Preemie exists, and it is why we reached out to Ronald McDonald House Manchester to ask how we might be able to help families who are right now going through what we went through. If you are looking for premature baby clothing, or free tools and guidance for your NICU journey, we are here.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities UK
What they do, and why it matters
Ronald McDonald House Charities UK provides home-away-from-home accommodation and support for families with children in hospital. For families with premature babies in NICU, or children receiving specialist care, having somewhere close by to sleep, eat, and simply breathe can make an enormous difference.
Most families arrive at a Ronald McDonald House the way we did. Without planning for it. Without knowing it existed. It is often a nurse or a member of the hospital team who makes the arrangements. And in that moment, having that stress removed when you are already running on no sleep and pure fear is something you genuinely cannot put a value on.
Ronald McDonald House Manchester sits next to Saint Mary's Hospital, giving families immediate proximity to their child.
Themed rooms, communal kitchens, spaces to rest. Designed to feel like a home, not a waiting room.
Families staying at the house are going through their own versions of the same thing. That shared experience means something.
The charity runs on donations and fundraising. Every contribution goes directly towards helping families like ours.
If you have a child in hospital and need support, or if you would like to donate or fundraise for Ronald McDonald House Manchester, visit their website to find out more.
Visit Ronald McDonald House ManchesterFor families currently staying at Ronald McDonald House
Something practical from us to you
If you are in the house right now and your baby is in the NICU, we know how much you have on your mind. We offer 15% off all premature baby clothing at simplypreemie.co.uk — no expiry, no conditions. Just one less thing to think about.
Shop premature baby clothing
"From the most frightening experience of our lives came the clearest sense of what matters, and who shows up when it does."
Rachael Kavanagh, Founder of Simply Preemie