Puiyu has always been brave. She didn’t cry during the first few blood tests, but after having to endure daily injections and blood draws, she began having nightmares and waking up crying, saying she didn’t want any more injections. Watching eight-year-old Puiyu, already quite weak, still muster all her strength to resist while I could only hold her down for the doctor to administer the injection, that feeling of helplessness and heartache is the most excruciating.”
Puiyu’s mother recalled with tears in her eyes.
Parents’ simplest and most sincere wish is for their children to grow healthy. When a child falls ill, parents suffer alongside them from the torment of the illness. The Ronald McDonald House
Charities of Hong Kong (RMHCHK) provides a home to families of sick children like Puiyu’s and takes on the role of companions, helping them through difficult times. Would you be willing to donate to help them?
As the Year of the Snake approaches, the RMHCHK sends you blessings for good health and prosperity for you and your family! Wishing you peace and good fortune!
In the new year, Puiyu’s greatest wish is to go to school like an ordinary child. Puiyu has always been healthy, but her fever wouldn’t go away last May 2024. Initially, both her parents and the
family doctor thought it was just a common flu, but even after taking medication, the fever persisted, causing her parents anxiety. They took Puiyu to the hospital for a check-up. “We had plans to go cycling as a family during the holiday, but overnight, Puuiyu was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Both her father and I couldn’t help but cry,” Puiyu’s mother recounted, vividly remembering the circumstances surrounding the diagnosis.
During her stay at the children’s hospital, other caregivers besides her mother made Puiyu anxious and even made her cry. Her mother, pained by this, could only stay by her side, guarding her in the hospital 24 hours a day. “I didn’t have much rest at that time. Everything
revolved around Puiyu, but with the adrenaline rushing, I didn’t feel tired at all. I had probably completely neglected myself,” her mother explained. Her father visited every morning and brought supplies. As for her 11-year-old brother, after school, he was reluctant to return to their desolate home, preferring to stay temporarily at their aunt’s house, at least having his
cousin for company.
“That heartwarming moment still lingers in my mind.”
Initially, Puiyu’s mother applied for unpaid leave from work, but considering Puiyu’s condition, she ultimately decided to resign, wholeheartedly devoting herself to Puiyu’s care. Reflecting on this, her father said, “While searching for information about leukemia online, I came across the RMHC, and to our surprise, the social worker recommended that we stay there. After discussing with my wife, we quickly decided to move in because we have three cats at home, and we were concerned that my son, who interacts with many people at school, might bring germs home and affect his sister.”
They received their move-in notice two days after applying, and her father went to handle the check-in procedures. “I was so anxious at that time, mentally exhausted. I just wanted to finish the paperwork quickly after coming from the hospital,” her mother added, “When my husband returned, he told me that the staff at the house were very friendly. After completing the formalities, Kevin, one of the staff members, put his arm around my husband and said, ‘Don’t be so down, Dad! We’re in this together!’ I was deeply moved when I heard that. After days of
hardship, suddenly there was an exit, and I felt empowered. That heartwarming moment still lingers in my mind.”
“We’re lucky we decided to move in.”
Puiyu’s family stayed at the RMHCHK for over 7 months. During that time, every detail remains vivid in their memories, sometimes heartwarming, sometimes haunting, as they all readjust and learn. Puiyu needs regular medication at the hospital, usually administered once in the
morning and once at night. If her condition stabilizes after observation, she can rest in the house. Her father shared that on two occasions, shortly after returning to the house, Puiyu suddenly experienced stomach pain and a fever. Both times it was in the middle of the night, and the doctor advised an immediate return to the hospital. “Every time something happens to Puiyu, we get very anxious and just want to rush her back to the hospital as soon as
possible. It’s a 10-minute drive from here to the hospital. We live in Wu Kai Sha, and even if we take a taxi from home, it takes about 45 minutes. At that moment, we were truly grateful that we could get Puiyu to the hospital as quickly as possible.”
Though Puiyu is still undergoing treatment, her spirits have improved. When asked about her mother’s cooking, Puiyu eagerly responded, “Mom’s steamed eggs are as hard as tofu. But I like Mom’s seaweed sushi rolls and curry.” Her mother laughed, saying she used to be busy with work and rarely cooked, but after Puiyu fell ill, she took on everything herself. Puiyu didn’t like the hospital food, and as a mother, she just wanted to give her warm meals, encouraging her to eat more when she had an appetite. “The families at the house understand each other’s difficulties well. Knowing I wasn’t good at cooking, they taught me how to cook nutritious and delicious meals. The seaweed rolls were also taught to me by the house mothers.”
Her brother could only visit once during her hospital stay through a glass window. Now, he stays at the house every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. “On school days, my brother has to wake up at 5:45 in the morning. I accompany him home to get ready and then take him to school. It’s really tough, but he would rather wake up early to live together at the Ronald McDonald House. He loves it here and wants to spend more time with his sister, so we all work a little harder to have more family time together,” her father explained.
When a child falls ill, the entire family is affected. RMHCHK doesn’t just serve ill children; it supports the whole family. Please send your blessings in the new year and donate to help families like Puiyu’s navigate the challenging medical process with greater stability and confidence.
