Housing helps family

Anthony and Emily Hartley with Gideon (18 months), Matilda (3) and Josiah (11 months) at McDonalds at Noosaville after spending time at Ronald McDonald House in Brisbane.

Geoff Potternb

McHappy Day isn’t just about celebrities selling hamburgers, it’s about supporting families with sick kids who use Ronald McDonald Houses.

The Hartley family of Cooran is just one of them.

Emily and Anthony have three children, but when their youngest, Josiah, was born prematurely last December, their lives were turned upside down.

Born at just 23 weeks and four days, Josiah brought with him a long list of complications that would see the family in and out of the Intensive Care Unit of the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital for 125 days.

Emily said it was a tough time for her and Anthony, as well as their other two children – three-year-old Matilda and 18-month-old Gideon.

With constant feelings of anxiety and worry, Emily said watching Josiah fight for his life was a difficult and stressful rollercoaster ride.

“It’s like you are going through your own private hell,” she said.

“It was really hard to try and balance everything and keep our head around things.”

Emily said the day the family was told they could finally take Josiah home held a mixture of emotions.

“It’s a bit hard to sum up in a word.

“We were happy, relieved and elated.”

While he still has to make trips to see specialists in Brisbane and the Nambour Hospital every now and again, Josiah is on the mend and things are looking up for the Hartley family.

“He’s doing really well, a lot better than anyone expected him to,” his mum said.

“Now it’s just a waiting game.”

Emily said she and Anthony appreciated everything the Ronald McDonald House did for them during the tough times.

“If there wasn’t Ronald McDonald House, families would be split up,” she said.

During Josiah’s time in hospital, Anthony was lucky enough to have time off work and the whole family was able to stay together at the Herston Ronald McDonald House in Brisbane.

“It was a lot better for me to have us all together. It took a lot of pressure off,” she said.

“The fact that we didn’t have to think about travel and accommodation meant we could focus on our baby.”

She said staff members at Ronald McDonald House were extremely accommodating and provided the family with a support system.

“To have the Ronald McDonald House makes it more bearable,” she said.

“When kids are sick you want to be there and it gives that opportunity.”

Now in its 20th year, McHappy Day raises money to fund the building and maintenance of the 13 Ronald McDonald houses across the country and this year aims to raise $2.8 million.

The Hartleys headed down to the Noosa McDonald’s restaurant last week to show their support for Ronald McDonald House Charities.