Donations for Ronald McDonald House
By Angie Landsverk
Bailey Mitchell organized an afternoon of making tie fleece blankets for a Ronald McDonald House.
She called it “Bailey Brave Blankets.”
“I’m just so happy for the turnout,” the 15-year-old said while working on one of many blankets.
The event took place Saturday, Dec. 8, at St. Peter Lutheran School, in Weyauwega.
Mitchell lives in Waupaca, but attended the school through eighth grade.
The church let the family use the school’s commons area for the event.
Mitchell is the daughter of Codi Loughrin and Randy Mitchell.
She spent the past several years in and out of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee.
That followed being diagnosed with an autonomic nervous system disorder in November 2014.
During Mitchell’s first hospitalization, her mother slept in the hospital 10 nights.
The Ronald McDonald House was then offered to her as a place to stay.
“It’s home when you can’t be home,” Loughrin said.
Mitchell and her mother stayed at the nearby Ronald McDonald House many nights.
The house offers a place for families to stay at little or no cost.
Loughrin said her daughter has been treated by a team of 12 specialists in Milwaukee.
The disorder became worse, causing Mitchell to become dependent on a feeding tube for nutrition absorption support and hydration, she said.
Since May 2017, Mitchell has had more than 24 procedures.
In 2016, she was part of a clinical research trial for a neurostimulator device.
The treatment received Food and Drug Administration approval in late 2017.
However, the treatment was not billable to insurance, Loughrin said.
A benefit raised money for Mitchell to have the treatment.
This year, she had eight weeks of weekly outpatient visits, traveling to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin each week.
“She’s been more stable since,” Loughrin said.
Mitchell said she is feeling better.
“Throughout the past two years, Bailey and I have been blessed with the resource of the Ronald McDonald House as a home away from home during hospital inpatient stays, and procedure times,” Loughrin said.
From Mitchell’s experience staying there, she knew the house received a lot of tie blankets for young children, but not as many for those her age.
She decided to change that.
About a month ago, she used Facebook to put the word out about what she wanted to do.
“When you’re sick or going back and forth for treatments, having a blanket you can wrap up in is so comforting,” Mitchell wrote. “So what I want to do is make a bunch of tie blankets, all shapes and colors. Everything from a tiny baby blue blanket for a newborn to a more grown-up style for the 17-year-old girl that always gets a blanket that’s too small with butterflies on it.”
Loughrin said the “original thought was to have some teenage girls in our living room, tying some fleece.”
However, they quickly raised enough money to buy supplies and materials to make about 75 blankets.
Mitchell was overwhelmed by the response, and the family appreciated the church allowed them to use space at the school.
“Initially, her thought was to make a few blankets,” Loughrin said. “Her initial goal was to find fabrics for older children and parents and siblings. She is overwhelmed by the outpouring.”
Mitchell received donations of fleece, as well as gift cards to buy fleece.
While choosing fleece at a store, someone noticed the amount of material they were getting and gave them $20 after hearing what Mitchell was doing.
Among those volunteering to tie fleece blankets last Saturday were their family and friends, as well as community members, people who work for ThedaCare and a Waupaca Destination Imagination Team.
“It was so much fun picking out fleece, figuring out what people would like,” Mitchell said. “A lot of times, when you go there (to children’s hospital), you don’t know you will be staying. You aren’t packed and prepared.”
She said the blankets are something children may take with them to treatment rooms, and in the rooms in which they stay.
The number of people who stopped by to help surprised her.
Some people brought already completed blankets.
People were also able to donate to the Ronald McDonald House wish list.
Bailey Brave Blankets began at 1 p.m., and they planned to be there until 4-5 p.m.
Loughrin said 42 people attended, including a family from New Glarus.
All 70 blankets were completed.
They plan to deliver the blankets soon to the Ronald McDonald House.
It was almost a year ago the benefit took place for Mitchell.
“Last year, during the benefit, the community was here for her when she needed the treatments,” Loughrin said.
She said last weekend’s event was a way “for our community that loved her all the way to treatment to come together to help her give back.”