Giggles and smiles from 2-year-old Taim Ahmad are lighting up the playroom at the Ronald McDonald House in Camden, New Jersey.

Taim was born with a rare autoimmune disorder affecting his gut. The specialized treatments he needed were only available at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, meaning the family would need to travel from their home in North Carolina.

That's when the Ronald McDonald House stepped in.

"We don't have any relatives in this area. So, the Ronald McDonald house was instrumental and crucial for us," Majd Ahmad, Taim's father, said. "They took a lot of the burden away from us in order for us to focus on our son."

After more than a year, this has become a second home for Taim and his family.

"I would say number one, it's a shelter for us," Jeeda Shawwa, Taim's mother

See Full Page