31 Aug Meet Our Families – The Da Silva Souzas

Posted at 11:30h in Families, The House by

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta provides a home-away-from-home for over 1,000 families each year and we love when our families share their stories. The Da Silva Souza family shared this story (edited for publishing).

“Having a child with a heart problem is one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through” says Monica Da Silva Souza. “But having a child with a heart problem and living over three hours from the hospital is even more devastating.” Baby Alyssa was born on January 11, 2022, and diagnosed with a hypoplastic left ventricle and congenital malformation of the heart. Determined to find the best health care for their daughter, the Da Silva Souzas made their initial journey to Augusta from Brunswick, GA for Alyssa’s first surgery and stayed for two months during her recovery.

 

 

After returning home, Alyssa began having complications and was brought back to the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, staying at RMHC for another three months. “Being able to count on the support and love of everyone who works and volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House is a comfort that I have been given for the past six months,” says Monica. “It’s become a second home to my family.” During their stay, the Da Silva Souzas celebrated several important dates and holidays, including Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, the 4th of July, and her son’s birthday. “Because of the wonderful staff and donors at Ronald McDonald House, I was able to be with my family during these special times.. We are beyond grateful to have this community of support during one of the most challenging times in our lives.”
The Da Silva Souzas spent 105 days at RMHC Augusta and returned home in mid-July to continue supporting baby Alyssa in her recovery. To support our mission of keeping families like Alyssa’s close, consider making a donation today.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta serves over 1,000 families each year. Our volunteer-run community kitchen serves over 15,000 meals, and our volunteers and families run over 5,000 loads of laundry every year.

We hope that this story has inspired you to get involved and help families just like this one. The staff, our volunteers, and the Board of Directors thank the Da Silva Souza family for sharing their story, and we hope everyone will get involved.