Paisleigh Mack, who was diagnosed with Down Syndrome at 15 weeks gestational and chylothorax at birth, is a regular at the Ronald McDonald House. Her mother, Christina Mack, said that they don’t know what they would have done without the Ronald McDonald House.

“Paisleigh was really sick and was on a ventilator when we had her,” Mack said. “We stayed at the Ronald McDonald house for 68 days.”

Paisleigh was also diagnosed with chylothorax at birth, a rare condition in which lymphatic fluid leaks into the space between the lung and chest wall, that caused more developmental delays.

“We couldn’t have done it without the Ronald McDonald house,” Mack said. “Everyone there is our family now.”

Mack said that the volunteers and staff at the Ronald McDonald house made all the difference.

“When I say that everyone is our family, I mean it,” Mack said. “Right when we walk in the door it is all smiles.”

The Andalusia McDonald’s was one of 10 sites across the state chosen for in-store celebrations of the 44th anniversary of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) yesterday. RMHCA CEO Katherine Estes Billmeier was on hand for the event.

“We decided to choose Andalusia as a spot in Alabama, because of the families like the Macks,” Billmeier said. “Knowing that you can give change to make a change in the lives of families like this is why we do this.”