Jordan Hobgood

Jordan Hobgood has a smile that can light up any room and he enjoys giving hugs to those who appear familiar to him. However, Jordan’s parents Rhonda and Daniel Hobgood say life for their son hasn’t always been so simple. Jordan spent the first year of his life in the hospital. Shortly after birth, he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that causes problems in many of the body’s organs especially the lungs and the pancreas. Jordan had a host of medical issues resulting from the illness including multiple holes in his heart.

Desperate to be close to their son, the Hobgoods found comfort and hope at the Ronald McDonald House. Jordan’s mom shares that if it were not for the Ronald McDonald House “we would have slept on the floor or did whatever we had to.”

“It was our shelter in the storm, a safe haven, we are so grateful that we had this wonderful House to go to every night and not have to worry about getting to the hospital in an emergency,” said Rhonda.

Luckily, the Hobgoods had a comfortable and safe place to stay; a place they could call home for a while for nine months – the Ronald McDonald House. Although Jordan still visits medical specialists every three months for his regular check-ups, he is now an active young man who enjoys playing golf, baseball and basketball. It’s hard to believe that in his 11 years of life, he’s been hospitalized nearly 500 times.

The Hobgoods are one of more than 10,000 families in the past 20 years who have called the Ronald McDonald House their “home away from home” while their critically ill children received specialized care at the hospital. The Ronald McDonald House located directly across the street from the hospital is fully equipped with all the comforts of home, making it possible for families with seriously ill children to stay together so they can focus on what’s most important – the health of their children.