Mom, son from Jamaica grateful for Ronald McDonald House Southern New Jersey: "It gives me a sense of peace"
They say, "Home is where the heart is." That couldn't be more true for one mother and son from Jamaica.
Stacy-Ann Sutherland and her son, King, stayed at the Ronald McDonald House Southern New Jersey in Camden twice this year.
"The place here, specifically in Camden, it feels like a home," Sutherland said.
They traveled some 1,500 miles to get to this home from Kingston, Jamaica.
"I remember the last time I came, I said, 'I don't feel like the odd man out,'" Sutherland said. "Back home, I feel that way, but here, I feel like I belong. I feel like I'm part of a community that's working toward the greater good for their kids."
It was here, Sutherland recalls, where she finally got answers.
This year, King was formally diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
While staying at Ronald McDonald House in South Jersey, King and his mom cross the bridge several times weekly for different therapies and appointments.
"The fact that they are able to accommodate us at a fraction of the cost — they provide meals. They have cute activities for the kids," Sutherland said.
The community here even helped celebrate King's birthday in September.
"Even though he's nonverbal, he communicates in his own ways," Sutherland said. "With his smile, with his body language, with the sounds that he makes."
While the two have since gone back to Jamaica, they will be returning to their home away from home soon for continued treatment.
"It gives me a sense of peace so I can just focus on being present for my son," Sutherland said.
Be a part of the village that helps create the Ronald McDonald House Charities a home away from home. And don't forget to tune into the telethon on CBS Philadelphia on Nov. 21.
To learn more and donate now, visit RMHC.org.
