ATLANTA — For families facing serious medical challenges, even an hour to relax and create something beautiful together can mean so much.
Atlanta florist Maggie Dant is making that possible through free floral-arranging classes at Ronald McDonald House Atlanta, giving parents and children time together away from the stress of medical appointments and treatments.
For Alison Speas and her daughter, Paisley, the class was a welcome change of pace.
The family traveled five hours from St. Marys, Ga., for Paisley’s medical care after she received a kidney transplant.
But that afternoon, their biggest decision was which flowers to choose.
“I don’t like green, basic; I like colorful!” Paisley said.
Alison said the chance to do something creative together was especially meaningful after everything their family had experienced.
“It just gives us an escape. We are artsy, craftsy people,” she said.
Dant, owner of Margaret Elizabeth Designs, grew up volunteering at Ronald McDonald House and wanted to give back through her love of flowers.
She now donates her time and floral supplies to host workshops where families can create their own arrangements and take them back to their rooms.
“To bring joy to the families that are going through some of the toughest times in their lives and just bring a little ray of sunshine,” Dant said.
For Dant, flowers offer more than something pretty to look at. She hopes the arrangements provide comfort long after the workshop ends.
“Something you can look at that gives you a moment of peace and serenity and distracts your mind from whatever you’re going through,” she said.
Sarah Parrish, senior director of marketing for Ronald McDonald House Atlanta, said activities like these are an important part of supporting families who are staying far from home while their children receive medical care.
“Just to give them a moment of normalcy. To take their mind off of whatever they’re dealing with that day. It also gives a sense of community for the families,” Parrish said.
For the Speas family, Ronald McDonald House has been an important resource throughout Paisley’s medical journey.
“They’ve been such a huge help,” Alison said. “The fact that we are so far away, over 5 hours, there’s no way we could’ve gone through a situation like a transplant without having this resource here.”
And Paisley was especially excited to add another arrangement to her growing flower collection.
“Do I have flowers at home? YES! Everywhere! I would probably count 15!” she said.
Dant plans to return to Ronald McDonald House Atlanta around Thanksgiving for another complimentary floral-arranging workshop, giving families spending the holidays away from home another chance to create something beautiful together.
Support her mission here.