Banjo

For single mum Melanie, the decision to start a family on her own was filled with hope, strength, and determination. After a successful round of IVF, she was overjoyed to be expecting her first baby. But everything changed at just 22 weeks and 6 days, when unexpected complications forced her to be transported nearly 400 kilometres from her home in Coffs Harbour to John Hunter Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.

It was late at night when she arrived—alone, scared, and facing the unimaginable. Whisked straight into a birthing suite with no family by her side, she was met with heartbreaking news: her tiny baby’s chances of survival were slim.

Under the expert care of the hospital team, Melanie was able to hold on for nearly three more weeks. Then, at just 25 weeks and 5 days, she was rushed into surgery. Her beautiful boy, Banjo, was born – a brave little fighter, so small, yet so full of life.

Melanie and her mum didn’t know what to expect when they were finally allowed to see him. But to Melanie, he was perfect. “He just looked so peaceful, so strong. I looked at him and I thought— "he’s mine.”

As Melanie recovered from her C-section, Banjo continued to receive critical care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Melanie suddenly found herself discharged, but with no idea where she could stay, so far from home and desperate to remain close to her newborn son.

Then came a lifeline: Ronald McDonald House Newcastle.

“I’ll never forget walking through the doors for the first time,” Melanie recalls, her voice full of emotion. “You’ve heard of Ronald McDonald House, but until you’re here, you don’t really understand the magic of it.”

She was welcomed into a warm, inviting, and comforting space—her “home away from home.” The moment she saw her room, she broke down in tears. “It was so beautiful. I just felt… safe. Supported. Like the universe aligned and gave me this gift when I needed it the most.”

Melanie stayed at Ronald McDonald House for 99 nights, each day returning to her baby in the NICU just minutes away. The House became more than just a place to sleep—it was a sanctuary. A place where, no matter how hard the day had been, there was always someone with a smile to greet her. A place where she connected with other families facing similar struggles, and where kindness lived in every corner.

“Every day I’d say, ‘I’m going back home.’ Because that’s what it felt like—home. Truly. I made friendships here that I’ll have for life. And when I’d have those days where everything felt too much, there was always someone to remind me, ‘That’s normal. You’re doing great. It’s going to be okay.’ And you believe it—because you feel it.”

Thanks to the support of Ronald McDonald House, Melanie was never far from Banjo. And in the toughest moments of her life, she found not just a place to stay, but a place to heal.