Ronald McDonald House Charities of Madison raised a record breaking $468,000 at this year’s Red Shoe Soirée and Madison Golf Outing, and the organization thanked the inspiring story of the Kuehn family.
Tori Kuehn, an RMHC-Madison mom, shared her family story with attendees of the annual two-day event.
Kuehn recounted her daughter Alli’s medical challenges and the support RMHC-Madison provided to her entire family, including sons Evan and Owen.
At only four weeks old, Alli had trouble breathing on her own and was taken to American Family Children’s Hospital.
Doctors later diagnosed her with laryngeal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the voice box that restricts airflow and makes breathing difficult.
They eventually determined that Alli would require a trach, or tracheostomy, to breathe safely, but as she struggled with her condition, RMHC-Madison provided the family with a sense of normalcy, Kuehn said.
“RMHC-Madison instantly traded the sterile, clinical isolation of the hospital for a feeling of home,” Tori told the gathering. “In the middle of a deeply isolating experience, RMHC-Madison made me feel seen, supported and fiercely protected.”
In the live auction that followed Tori’s talk, guests brought their fundraising to a higher level, the organization said.
For families at RMHC-Madison, the $468,000 will fund more than 2,900 nights of care that ensures families can remain close during times of medical stress.
