In late 2018, I was assigned to document the daily life of the clients, staff, and patients of the Ronald McDonald House in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is an independent nonprofit organization with a mission to support the families of children who are confined to a hospital for long-term stays.
The foundation’s mission is to provide a “home-away-from home” for families who live outside the metropolitan area whose children receive complicated treatment in hospitals in San Juan. Families sometimes stay for weeks or even months. The family rooms provide space for recreation and the staff arrange for activities to help provide a welcomed distraction when the parents cannot be with their children as they receive treatment in the hospital.
The following families and staff graciously allowed me to document their entire lives in the House as well as on their visits to their children. We traveled together on location at the House apartments to hospitals around the city in Aibonito and Ponce.
I am forever thankful to the staff at the RMHC who were so welcoming to having a photographer around to witness their selfless dedication to these families and children. Likewise, I especially am grateful to the families who shared their experiences with me and allowed me to capture one of the most difficult moments a parent will face. They handled their family’s difficult circumstances with grace and strength and I hope you will consider supporting the RMHC as they continue to support families such as these. Learn more.