Cooper is a very active 13-year-old. He loves boats and cars, and anything with an engine.
Cooper has been coming to the Ronald McDonald House in Randwick on and off since he was 2 weeks old.
It all started a couple of days after his birth when his parents noticed he had lost weight and had a temperature. They had to bring him back to the Port Macquarie Hospital where he was born.
From there he was soon transferred to the Sydney Children’s Hospital, and that’s when the family was introduced for the first time to the Ronald McDonald House.
Cooper was soon diagnosed with kidney failure, septicaemia and a clot in the brain, nd had to stay at the hospital for 6 weeks.
Being first-time parents, Cooper’s mum and dad were quite scared and stressed, but being able to stay close to their baby while he was in hospital made all the difference.
His mum Melanie remembers “We could just walk up to the Hospital. My husband and I used to take turns to stay with the baby, while the other one could stay at the House and get some rest, while still being close enough in case of an emergency”.
When Cooper was 9 months old he had to have Ureteral reimplantation, a surgery to fix the tubes that connect the bladder to the kidneys.
From then on, there was a lot of back and forth from Port Macquarie to the House during the years. Melanie lost count, but thinks they probably stayed here around 20 times!
“The House made the whole experience so much easier over the years. We were able to talk to other families about their own journeys and make long-lasting friendships with the other parents and children.
Having a chat in the kitchen with staff members and volunteers and feeling the support from the community, it made us feel like we were not alone. There was somewhere to come back to.
For Cooper, seeing other sick children and creating beautiful friendships was also important.
To all the staff members, volunteers and supporters, I’d like to say ‘Thank you!’. Ronald McDonald House it’s an amazing organisation.
Loving, giving, and supporting my family for the last 13 years.”
Cooper's story is one of our many stories from the Ronald McDonald House in Randwick.
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