12 May When a Child is Sick, the Whole Family is Sick—and Heals Together
The Medina-Flores Family
When Adina Flores’ son, Alex, was born 18 years ago, he arrived prematurely and was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Within his first two weeks of life, Alex underwent two open-heart surgeries. Following the second, he was airlifted from their home in Sacramento to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford—a hospital and city Adina had never visited. With her husband and eldest son still at home, she arrived in Palo Alto alone, scared, with only the clothes on her back and less than $20 in her pocket.
The House became our home, a place where we could prepare meals, where our older son could play with other children, and where we found solace among other families going through battles like ours.”— Adina, Alex's Mom
Since that first visit 18 years ago, Adina, husband, Alfredo, and other children, Emiliano and Isabella, have relied on the Ronald McDonald House during countless visits. Over the years, the Flores family has experienced the full spectrum of RMHC Bay Area’s support. For shorter hospital visits, they accessed Day Pass services—showering, doing laundry, enjoying nutritious and free hot meals, and relaxing in spaces where they could time catch their breath away from the chaos of medical care.
During longer stays, Alex’s siblings stayed with Adina at the House, including Isabella, the youngest, participating in Summer Camp activities with other House siblings. And when it was time to go back to school, Isabella was able to stay at the House thanks to RMHC staff who helped enroll her in a local school. The staff even provided her with a backpack and school supplies which lifted a financial burden off the family’s shoulders.
In July 2024, the Flores family returned once again—this time for Alex’s heart and liver transplant. Over those 196 days, the House provided consistency, support, and the community they needed to stay strong and present for Alex during his recovery.
“We joined other families who understood all too well that we were part of a club that no one wanted to belong to, but we found something magical inside the walls of the House. Hope, and courage prevail, and we draw strength from one another.” — Adina, Alex's Mom
Today, Alex is getting stronger and is looking forward to graduating high school in person. As the Flores family adjusts to a new normal, they continue to draw strength from the community that rallied around them. The support of RMHC Bay Area—and the generosity of donors like you —remain a lasting part of their journey. ❤
