When a child has complex medical needs, the focus often lands on the challenges.
For Asher, a single mother of 3 boys based in the South West, those challenges began the day her son Ryder was born with G/BBB Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that would shape their lives.
At just 2 days old Ryder was transferred from SJOG (St John of God) Bunbury via the Royal Flying Doctor Services for critical care as he was failing to thrive and was deterioting.
While her newborn son was transferred for specialised treatment, Asher remained behind, separated at a critical moment. As soon as she could travel, she made the 230km journey from Busselton to Perth, stepping into a reality she hadn’t expected. Ryder would spend the next 10 months in hospital.
That moment marked the beginning of a lifelong journey. Ryder’s condition requires ongoing specialist care in Perth, far from home.
That’s where Ronald McDonald House Western Australia stepped in.
Asher discovered Ronald McDonald House Western Australia, a vital support shared between families navigating similar journeys at the hospital.
However, support was limited as the original Subiaco House had just 18 rooms, and demand often exceeded availability.
For almost six years, Asher and the boys relied on family and friends for a place to stay, often turning to short-term accommodation at a considerable cost. When they were able to stay at Ronald McDonald House, it offered comfort and stability but with so few rooms, it was often full.
“I remember getting calls saying there wasn’t a room for us,” Asher says. “It was heartbreaking.”
Everything changed in 2015, when the new Ronald McDonald House at QEII Medical opened, expanding allowing more families to stay close to their children during treatment.
For Asher and her boys, it meant stability.
“Now when we come to Perth, we know we have somewhere safe to stay,” she says. “The staff know Ryder. We can have a hot meal after a long day. It feels like a second family.”
For more than a decade, Ronald McDonald House WA has been their home away from home. It’s not just a place to sleep. It’s a support system that helps families stay together during some of the hardest moments of their lives.
Stories like Ryder’s are why initiatthat doesn'rives like Ride for Sick Kids WA matter.
Every kilometre ridden helps keep together, reduces financial strain and emotional pressure during their child’s medical journey.
That’s why your support is critical, by donating to Ride for Sick Kids WA, you are directly helping families like Asher’s stay together during life’s most difficult times.
Donate today or learn more about how you can support Ronald McDonald House WA at https://www.rmhcwa.org.au
