Caycee Gasper was born prematurely at 22 weeks old. She weighed just 550 grams. 

The Gasper Family is from the beautiful Western Australian town of Port Hedland. From this Pilbara town to Perth, it's a 17-hour drive.

When Caycee was born at 22 weeks gestation, she had a collapsed lung and air leakage around her lungs. Once she was stabilised, it wasn't the end of the family's woes: the doctor's found bleeding on Caycee's brain. 

The family was told that they needed to stay in Perth for 5 months until Caycee was strong enough to leave the NICU ward. 

"The hospital organised us to stay at Ronald McDonald House. We just didn't have anywhere else to stay and without the House, we wouldn't have been able to be so close with Caycee, otherwise we would have racked up thousands and thousands of dollars in accommodation," says Shaylee Gasper. 

Caycee is now 2-years-old and received the medical "all clear" in December 2019. Shaylee says Caycee's superpower is surviving. And her favourite thing about Ronald McDonald House? The people.

"The House is just there to help, and they are like a giant family. We still have a great relationship with the volunteers and staff at Ronald McDonald House. They love to catch up and see how the children are doing." 

Since 2018, Ronald McDonald House Charities WA has been the Gasper's home away from home when they needed us most. For 153 nights across 11 separate stays, the House has kept the family close together whilst Caycee received critical medical treatment.