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Lifesaving Medical Care — An Ocean Away

Dad Jonny with baby Kaiya in the NICU
Kaiya Mack, Jonny Mack, Mariah Mack, Soka, Katana -- the Mack Family smiling in a selfie

``Until you have a sick child you don't understand that feeling of stress.``

— Kaiya's Dad, Jonny

Be a hero. Join our community of support.

Meet Kaiya — NICU Warrior

Mom and Dad, Mariah and Jonny hold Baby Kaiya in the NICU

A family with a sick child is a sick family. You can help.

When Kaiya Mack was born with a rare life-threatening condition called gastroschisis, her parents, Mariah and Jonny, were 2,500 miles away from the advanced medical care that their first baby’s life would depend on. From their home in Honolulu, the couple traveled to the Bay Area where Kaiya underwent multiple surgeries immediately after she was born, spending four months in the neonatal intensive care unit.

“Until you have a sick child you don’t understand that feeling of stress,” said Kaiya’s father, Jonny. “The fact you can be in this community and share with other people and they help you and it’s for free and they don’t ask you for anything in return—it’s a blessing.”

Access to healthcare is a human right.

Housing families nearby and inside the hospital makes access possible.

Thanks to donors like you, we provided nearly 34,000 overnight stays to families with sick children. Mariah and Jonny were relieved to learn that once they arrived in the Bay Area, they would have a community of support to lean on — moments from Kaiya’s life-saving medical care.

“If it weren’t for Ronald McDonald House I wouldn’t be here,” — 10-year-old Kaiya

By donating today, you can ensure RMHC Bay Area is there for sick children and their families, providing comfort and support when and where they need it most.

Kaiya Mack

Be a hero. Join our community of support.

After her stay in 2020, Kaiya fundraised $12,000 for RMHC Bay Area through her love of music. Check out her pop-reggae music video below!

P.S. We have more to share with you about Kaiya’s medical journey. Keep an eye on our social media for more updates and sign up for our newsletter.

Why your gift matters

34,000 overnight stays

nearby and inside the hospital

$15,800,000-worth of supportive housing services

for families with sick children

2,300 hours

of free psychosocial support

93,000 free meals

offsetting $1.4 million in meal expenses

53,300 pounds of food

distributed thanks to our Second Harvest food bank partnership

6,500 toys and care items (62% increase in items over last year!)

donated for Comfort & Joy with an estimated value of $88,000

172 students enrolled

in Ronald McDonald House School (Carter Family Classroom)

1,300 snack packs

delivered to families at the hospital

Donors Make These Stories Possible