Ané Ford’s Family

Kiara knew something was wrong with her daughter, Ané, when she was just 16 months old. Ané was incredibly sick and was no longer walking or talking. Eventually, doctors diagnosed Ané with a brain tumor.

Ané was admitted to the hospital, with Kiara at her bedside, for 15 days. Once doctors confirmed that Ané would need six weeks of radiation at a hospital far from home, Kiara knew she needed to find a place to stay nearby.

Everything changed when a room opened up at nearby Ronald McDonald House.

Little Ané, Ané’s sister, and Kiara stayed together at Ronald McDonald House near Central DuPage Hospital where they shared home-cooked meals and time with other families in similar situations.

“Once we got here, I was blown away,” Kiara says. “It was not what I expected.”

As for Ané, “she enjoyed all the space to run around. She loved the playroom and getting all the attention. Everybody’s so nice. It just really feels like home.”

Ané’s brain tumor has been removed and, though she’s still receiving treatments, she’s walking and has returned to her old self – and through it all, Ané’s family was by her side thanks to Ronald McDonald House.