Since their daughter Addison was diagnosed with Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome (VCFS) at 3 ½ months old, Mandi and Jeff Gaines, of Louisiana, have grown accustomed to traveling to receive the best care for their daughter. During the 2011 holiday season, their travels brought them, along with Addison, now 5, and her sister Aubree, to the CNY Ronald McDonald House for the second time.

While home is always best for the holidays, Mandi said, “We are fortunate to be at the Ronald McDonald House during the holiday season. The house is beautifully decorated. We enjoy seeing firsthand the volunteer support and feeling the cheer in their hearts as they care for us and the other families. It’s amazing what people bring here. We are grateful for the time and love that they put into preparing meals or making blankets.”

Heading into the New Year, Mandi looks forward to the progress that will result from Addison’s most recent surgery, which will aid in her ability to communicate through her speech.”I’m excited that she’ll be understood and that she’ll be able to achieve all that she knows she can. She is a very bright girl and has a lot to say. Her speech can now catch up with her abilities.”