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       Home Away from Home: Niagara Health laboratory team's tribute to
       Ronald McDonald Family Room
        
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       **Kristin and Siena Provenzano**  
       My daughter Siena was born 14 weeks prematurely and weighed under two
       pounds. Little did I know the battle that lay before us; 71 days of
       multiple blood transfusions, ventilation, lung steroids, a
       peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line for a lengthy
       antibiotic treatment, more needle pokes than can ever be counted,
       several head ultrasounds, temperature fluctuations, endless prayers,
       and more tears than conceivable. Navigating all of this during a
       global health pandemic was just the icing on the cake. Even the good
       days were harder than you can imagine. Thankfully, my little girl went
       from a tiny and sick micro-preemie, to an incredibly hilarious, kind,
       adorable, and loving three-year-old!  
         
       Once I was discharged from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), in the early
       days after Siena was born, my husband convinced me to tour through the
       Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in Hamilton and consider staying there,
       instead of commuting back and forth. My eyes filled with tears as I
       toured the house, wondering how this was happening to us but also
       thinking how impressive this place seemed and how kind and welcoming
       the staff were. We quickly learned that this would become our second
       home.  
         
       Not only were we given the comfort of being close to Siena, RMH
       provided us with home-cooked meals, a clean and safe place to stay and
       allowed us to focus primarily on our daughter's well-being. My family
       is forever grateful for the comfort, flexibility and hospitality that
       the RMH gave us.
        
        
        
        
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