Destiny’s Story

Destiny is an amazing five year old. She is always smiling, even when she doesn’t feel well, and her bubbly personality is so infectious that others can’t help but smile when they first meet her. Destiny can be a little sassy at times, but a majority of the time she showers people with love and kindness. She was diagnosed with Hirschprung’s disease, also known as Short Bowel Syndrome, when I was just five months pregnant.

Doctors were able to detect it so early because I also have the same illness. Our first stay at the Ronald McDonald House in Omaha was for almost a year. During this time, Destiny had multiple surgeries and many trials with her feeds, but with her condition we could not move forward. After trying everything we could, the incredible doctors from the University of Nebraska Medical Center placed Destiny on the transplant list – our only remaining option. During this time, the Ronald McDonald House became our home away from home.

Very few people understand what we go through as parents, and it is difficult to meet people who understand how you feel and the strength it takes as a parent when your child is fighting illness. However, we have found this support at the Ronald McDonald House. After two years of being away from Omaha, we got a call on June 13, 2015 that Destiny would be able to have a small bowel, liver and pancreas transplant. On June 14, 2015 Destiny received the transplant and we will now be here for another 6-9 months. She is making progress, and as much as we would like to be back home with family, we are not super sad because we are in our second home here at the Ronald McDonald House, where we receive the same love and support from staff and families that we do at home.

*as told by her mother, edited by RMHC staff