When my family arrived at Ronald McDonald House: Boise in January 2025, we were facing a parent’s worst nightmare. On January 24, my five-year-old daughter, Visalia, who we call Boogie, was life-flighted to Boise after a visit to her doctor. We checked into the House on January 25, and the next day, Boogie was diagnosed with leukemia. She would turn six just four days later.
My husband, Derek, and I had never experienced Ronald McDonald House Idaho before. With our world turned upside down, we had not even thought about where we would stay or how we would manage the weeks ahead. A hospital social worker connected us with Ronald McDonald House: Boise, and it finally gave us a moment to process the news. We broke down. It was nice to have a place to go and have a minute to regroup, away from our daughter, to realize what was happening. Everything happened so quickly!
Living two hours from Boise, we soon learned how important it was to stay close to the hospital. Boogie’s treatment required frequent visits, blood work and transfusions, and having the hospital within walking distance brought tremendous peace of mind. As treatment plans changed, the staff worked with us to adjust our stay as needed.
The House is more than a place to sleep for us. It has become a place where we feel known, welcomed, and cared for during an incredibly difficult season. Our kids look forward to visiting the magic toy closet and seeing the familiar faces of staff and volunteers.
Our challenges have extended beyond Boogie’s cancer diagnosis. Just days after returning home following Boogie’s first 29 days of treatment, I was hospitalized for 20 days and diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As I relearned how to walk, our family continued navigating Boogie’s treatment while supporting our other children, Oliver and Reata.
Through it all, our community in Grangeville has rallied around us. In July 2025, a friend and I started collecting pull tabs at our town’s Border Days rodeo to support Ronald McDonald House Idaho. The idea quickly spread, with local businesses, community events and people from as far away as Alaska joining in. One family friend even arranged for her sister-in-law, who serves in the Navy, to have her entire ship collect pull tabs throughout a yearlong deployment. The tabs will make their way back to us when the ship returns!
What began as a small idea has grown into a remarkable community effort. We often bring large totes of pull tabs with us each time we return to Boise. These tabs are then recycled by volunteers, and the funds go to Ronald McDonald House Idaho. Seeing so many people find ways to give back has been a bright spot in an otherwise difficult journey.
Today, Boogie is seven and in the maintenance phase of her leukemia treatment. Her appointments have decreased to once every four weeks. Recent low blood counts have required additional monitoring and a temporary pause in chemotherapy, but her medical team remains encouraged by her progress. We will return to the House around Halloween for her next round of chemotherapy.
We have also found comfort in the House’s holiday traditions. At first, I felt sad knowing we would miss Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas at home. But after experiencing the care and thoughtfulness of the House during the holidays last year, I find myself looking forward to spending them at the House this year. On Thanksgiving, we were welcomed with a special feast, and on Christmas morning, we discovered stockings waiting for us. It was such a fun surprise! What once felt like missing out on family traditions has become an opportunity to make new memories with a community that makes us feel at home. I don’t even have to be sad or worried that we have to spend the holidays away from home because I know they’ll make it even better than we could at home.
For 132 nights, and counting, at Ronald McDonald House: Boise, we have found a place where we feel welcomed, supported and cared for. Knowing we have a comfortable place to stay allows us to focus on Boogie and her treatment without the added worry of where we will go. We are so grateful for the House, its staff and the community whose kindness has made such a difference for our family. Their support reminds us that even in the hardest moments, we are not alone.
– Eldridge Family | 132 Nights at the Ronald McDonald House: Boise | Grangeville, ID
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