08 Mar Heart to Heart, Family to Family
Jonah during post-transplant recovery.
UPDATE: Jonah’s wait for a new heart is finally over! On Easter Sunday 2024, nearly five months into his hospital stay, he received the gift of life.
Lindsey shared that on Good Friday she heard “the incredible news that would change our lives!” A heart would be available for Jonah. Joyful for Jonah, she also knew that another child’s family was grieving. “This would not be possible without the selfless decision our donor family made in their most difficult hour; losing their child and still choosing to say yes to help ours.”
April is Donate Life Month—a time to celebrate life and honor the gift of organ and tissue donation. It’s also the month that Jonah was discharged from the hospital post-transplant!
Jonah and Lindsey walk out of the hospital on discharge day.
Jonah will need lots of care in the near future—check-ups, tests and procedures, so he and his family will remain close to the hospital for now. They will likely visit the Ronald McDonald Family Room when at the hospital for appointments.
Jonah, Isaiah, Lindsey and Adam are adjusting to a new normal together outside the hospital. They continue to draw strength from the people who, as Lindsey shares, “poured into us and helped make our time better.” That includes all the Ronald McDonald Family Room volunteers, staff and donors who made life at the hospital a little bit more manageable. “We are thankful for each of you.”
Read the rest of the story to learn how RMHC Northeast Ohio services and supporters have made a difference for this family.
Jonah plays video games to pass the time.
Lindsey Allgeier is 6-year-old Jonah’s mother. She’s also his homeschooling teacher, his medical caregiver, and now his heart-warrior-role-model, guiding him through an experience she thought would be once in a lifetime.
“It’s unreal to go through this not once, but twice,” shares Lindsey. “It’s overwhelming – knowing what to expect, what I went through, knowing what he will go through.”
In 2001, after three years suffering from restrictive cardiomyopathy, Lindsey received a new heart.
Fast forward to 2024.
Jonah, like his mother 23 years earlier, is waiting for a heart transplant to save his life.
Lindsey waits for her transplant 23 years ago.
Many things have changed, some have not. “I was a teenager, Jonah’s only six. My family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House while I was waiting, in this very hospital. One of my nurses—it was her first year as a transplant nurse—is still here,” shares Lindsey.
Lindsey shows Family Room Manager Erin Goldsmith photos from her phone.
There was a big sign welcoming me back to the House when I was able to join them after my transplant.
At that time, however, there was no Ronald McDonald Family Room in the hospital. “As a parent, I can’t imagine not having this room just steps away from Jonah. I use it all the time. I can wash his pajamas and blankets, grab a lunch, sometimes just sit and cry with the staff or other moms.”
Jonah and Lindsey in his hospital room.
For families with hospitalized children, days can feel never-ending. Caring for yourself while caring for a child often gets overlooked.
“I don’t like to leave Jonah alone for long,” says Lindsey, “but we both really need a break sometimes.”
It’s why in 2006 RMHC Northeast Ohio began opening hospital-based Ronald McDonald Family Room programs, providing a place for families to recharge just steps from their child’s bedside. Services in the rooms have continued to expand to meet needs, including providing fresh meals regularly to help keep families strong.
For Jonah’s little brother, two-year-old Isaiah, the Family Room offers a place to play and special moments during visits to the hospital. “Isaiah loved meeting the princesses,” shares Erin.
Lindsey and Erin smile as they recount other treats, activities, and “time-outs” shared with other families. “It’s hard spending the holidays in the hospital, but all the volunteers, staff, donors — everyone tried to make it easier for us,” Lindsey adds.
The donations of toys and gifts – people don’t realize the impact that makes. Being away from home, the boys don’t have all their toys and stuffies here. It’s like a spark of hope when I can bring them something new.
Jonah’s restrictive cardiomyopathy, unlike what Lindsey experienced, has come with heart rhythm issues that can be life-threatening. “He is always on a monitor and can’t leave his hospital floor. He can’t be active like he’s used to because his heart rate can’t go high. I can count on taking him a different little toy or treat to break up the monotony. I also use them as rewards for schoolwork.”
Adam, Isaiah, Jonah and Lindsey during a hospital visit.
Lindsey, her husband Adam, and Isaiah are making their home in Cleveland within walking distance of the hospital while they wait for Jonah’s gift of life.
“Adam and I take shifts here at the hospital and he goes back and forth to keep our business going. Family comes to stay and support us.”
Jonah’s wait in the hospital could be a year or longer. Even though he is the highest priority for a transplant, there are few pediatric heart donors.
As a heart recipient and mother, Lindsey understands both the agony of the wait and the pain of the donor’s family.
Lindsey meets with the parents of her heart donor.
“I know how precious the gift is. I’ve met the donor family—they lost their only daughter. I’ve held them while they listened to her heart beat in my chest.”
When asked what gets her through each day, Lindsey doesn’t hesitate at all. “My faith. The support of all those who care. Places and people like this. I’m so very grateful to all of you.”
Lindsey’s family found comfort and care through our programs in 2001 and again in 2024. While the ways we support families have evolved, one thing has not changed—RMHC Northeast Ohio continues to inspire hope, when and where families need it most.
You can help support families like Lindsey and Jonah’s.
Learn more about ways to help.