For families traveling to Bethesda from as far away as South America, The Children’s Inn at NIH becomes their home for the holidays as their young children undergo treatment for rare diseases and serious medical conditions.
The Rector family has stayed at The Children’s Inn for more than nine months. Their children, Lucy and Landon Rector are undergoing treatments for a severe immune deficiency disease.
“It means they couldn’t fight infections the way most people fight infections,” explained their mother, Mary Rector. “The only cure is a bone marrow transplant.”
With the holiday season upon us, simple gestures like visits from Santa and local police officers bearing gifts bring more than hope for the best medical care. Their presence brings joy to an otherwise heavy emotional time.
The Rojas family traveled from Colombia to help their preschool-aged son, Mateo, receive lifesaving treatments.
“The experience has been wonderful, as they gave us the opportunity to come to this medical center and give us a little peace of mind,” said Camilo Rojas, Mateo’s father.
The Children’s Inn at NIH is a nonprofit serving more than 1,500 families each year, operating on donations from individuals, private corporations, foundations, community groups, and federal support.
Watch the full report in the video below, produced by MCM News reporter Cristina Caicedo Smit.
Comments are closed.