A Sarnia woman says the Ronald McDonald House in London was "a haven" for her and her husband while their newborn son, Myles, stayed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Myles was expected to arrive in September 2024, but was born prematurely at 25 weeks in May 2024.
Myckayla Boileau said she had a completely normal pregnancy (her first) with no prior indication that she would go into pre-term labour. Then all of a sudden, they needed to rush to London's Children's Hospital.
"The Ronald McDonald House was what came through for us and it honestly was so amazing being so close to the hospital," Boileau told Sarnia News Today. "Having a place to go, not just have a meal, but step away from the noises and the machines, and the constant life or death questions, and stress of being in that environment, and just breathe."
They spent 99 days at the Ronald McDonald House.
Boileau said she heard of the non-profit organization before, but didn't fully understand the support they offer prior to their stay.
She said the space benefited her mental health and the staff continually checked in and went as far as decorating their room door for her husband's birthday.
"They go above and beyond for the families who are staying there and they really try and make it feel like home," she said.
Now, Myles is doing "fantastic" and will turn two in May.
"He's running around, keeping us very busy. Waking up at all hours of the night, testing out new words that he's learning," laughed Boileau. "The only... leftover outcome of being in the NICU is that he has pretty poor eyesight. He needed a couple of surgeries and he does wear glasses."
Myles required treatment for Stage 4 Retinopathy of Prematurity, which affects a baby’s sight due to abnormal blood vessel growth.
Boileau said they do visit the Ronald McDonald House during Myles' check-ups and will often take items for donation, stating the importance of giving back.
"The Ronald McDonald House Charities offers something for families that people don't realize until you're that family in need," she said. "So the simple things that people can do, like supporting McHappy Day, or rounding up their McDonald's order, or showing up for different events, it truly makes a world of difference."
McHappy Day is on Wednesday, May 6.
Locally, funds raised at McDonald's restaurants will go to Ronald McDonald House (RMHC) Southwestern Ontario.
McDonald's Operations Manager Darlene Black said in 2025, 54 Sarnia-Lambton families utilized services at the London location, and unfortunately 31 were turned away.
Ronald McDonald House Southwestern Ontario has a house in London and Windsor and a family room in London. In total, the southwestern branch supported families from over 290 communities in 2025.
On McHappy Day last year, Sarnia-Lambton raised a total of $52,186 for Ronald McDonald House-SWO.
