At four years old, Phin Michael was known for being a ball of energy and having a bright personality. When his parents, Dustin and Neesha, began noticing unexplained bruises and him being too tired for his favorite activities, they knew something was wrong. Hoping it was just a case of low iron, they took him to the pediatrician. After being sent straight from there to the pediatric ER, they knew something was seriously wrong. Their worst nightmare as parents came true: Phin was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Phin spent months in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy and bone marrow transfusions, all while being separated from his two older sisters. Dustin and Neesha had to split their time between being at home with their daughters and at the hospital with him. When Phin finally rang the bell several months later, the Michaels were full of hope that cancer was behind them. But after 18 months of remission, Phin’s cancer returned. “It was totally devasting,” said Dustin. When doctors told them he needed to undergo a bone marrow transplant in Atlanta – four hours away from their home in Savannah, they were devasted, and flooded with questions as to how they would make it work.
Thankfully, the Michaels were introduced to the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House. “When this kind of thing happens to your kid when they get sick and need treatment far away from home, everything is really uncertain and difficult and kind of terrifying. It would be hard enough for them to recover if none of the logistical things existed. And that’s what I think Atlanta Ronald McDonald House did for us. It made all of the logistical things- where we were going to stay, how we eat – all of those things suddenly got taken care of,” says Dustin.
When receiving a bone marrow transplant it’s required for the patient to be within 10 minutes of the hospital for 100 days after the transplant. The Bone Marrow Transplant Units at the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House provide a secluded, sterile environment near the hospital where patients can recover with their families by their side. These units even include a personal bathroom and kitchen so that families don’t have to worry about contamination from outside sources.
It was invaluable to the Michaels to have a space to be together as a family and provide Phin with the support that he desperately needed during his recovery. “The Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Bone Marrow Transplant Unit provided a safe space, allowing us to be less anxious,” Neesha expressed.
When his parents reflect on their time spent at the House they smile talking about how the little things made such a difference in Phin’s recovery and overall happiness. “There are paths you could walk, movies you could borrow, and Phin could even take a bath in his room. It’s the small things that we normally take for granted that make the biggest difference when you’re sick like Phin was.”
When Phin needs to return to Atlanta for follow-up appointments, they find comfort in knowing they can always stay at the House. “Atlanta Ronald McDonald House gives me a safe, home-like environment to bring my family,” says Neesha. “When you need to be away from home, there’s no place like home, except for the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House.”
