Then, a social worker at BC Children’s reassured the family that Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon had space for them. The family found respite here for 11-months. “It was amazing! Everything was all set up for us,” mom Lilibeth remembers feeling as she walked through the doors for the first time.

They had expected just a place to stay, but the House exceeded all their expectations. They sent photos to friends and family back in the Yukon and in the Philippines: pictures taken playing games, painting, solving puzzles, reading. When RMH BC’s big yellow slide reopened after the pandemic, Kye was the first kid to go down! “This house is my mansion,” says Kye, “It’s just fun!” He loved every part of the House including the koi fish, the courtyard, and all the people. “It’s not just a house, it’s a home for us,” says dad, Rommel.

Usually, Lilibeth and Kye stayed at the House alone while Rommel and Kye’s older brother Angelo stayed home to keep up with work and school, but they look back fondly on a time they were able to all stay together: 2.5 months, over Christmas break. The two brothers learned to paint together, and now the family has paintings by both their boys displayed on the wall back at home. “Kye has had rough days in treatment but here he has good times,” says Lilibeth. “As a mom I’m glad that he remembers the good times more than the bad ones.”

The House also became a safe place for Lilibeth while she dealt with the stress of caring for a sick child, alone and away form home. “Mom was always crying,” remembers Kye. “Yes,” Lilibeth laughs. “Sad crying, happy crying!” The Massage Therapy Program allowed her the opportunity to take care of herself during uncertain times, along with walks to Queen Elizabeth Park and visits to the VanDusen Gardens.

When the family finally left after 11 months, there were many mixed feelings. Kye was missing their dogs, the snow, and his classmates. Lilibeth was missing the support of her mom and sister – she found it hard being alone without them for so long. But, even though their intensive treatments were over, their struggles were not. Soon after they got home, they were medevaced to Whitehorse again: Kye’s dosages needed adjustments, and his counts were always up and down. They missed their home away from home at RMH BC, with food, activities to make their days go faster, and friends that became family.

Now, after the roller coaster ride of the past two years, the Verdeflors are just starting to return to a feeling of normal – and with that, they are determined to give back. “Now we are through the storm, we are our best selves again, and we can find ways to help,” says Lilibeth. “You think of other families now, who are in the same situation we were in. You want to extend the help that you get – it’s chain reaction and we don’t want to break the chain!”

Rommel works at CIBC in Dawson City. The company is supporters of the House, and he shared his story with his colleagues to let them know that they’ve made the right choice to support RMH BC. They also use Benevity, which matches funds to volunteer hours – he was able to raise $500 last year through that.
The Verdeflors have also become monthly donors, and enjoy the feeling of providing steady, ongoing support to the House. As the cost of living in a small Northern town only gets more expensive, they find that monthly giving is easy to budget and plan for.

“We tell all our friends and family to donate. They need it more than any organization,” Rommel concludes, “If RMH was near to our town, I would volunteer every weekend!”