Suddenly, life as they knew it came to a halt when Arafat unexpectedly went into early labor, developed an infection, and had to deliver their daughter, Remy, at only 25 weeks gestation
In March of 2018, Arafat Salvador and her husband, Payom Tichanipour, were going about their busy day to day life, with Arafat in the final stages of completing a Master’s Degree, and Payom studying for the Bar Exam. The soon to be first-time parents had made an offer on their first home in Orange County and we're excitedly looking forward to having everything completed in time to welcome their baby girl in July.
Suddenly, life as they knew it came to a halt when Arafat unexpectedly went into early labor, developed an infection, and had to deliver their daughter, Remy, at only 25 weeks gestation on March 21st.
Because of her extreme prematurity, Remy was transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital in early April for specialized care. Arafat and Payom drove from Laguna Beach each day to be with their daughter, but they soon realized the stress and time of commuting, along with Remy’s intensive care needs, required them to be closer to the hospital where they could spend more time at her bedside.
Remy’s medical team in the NICU referred the family to the Long Beach Ronald McDonald House where immediately some of their stress and worries were lifted away. Arafat and Payom benefited not only from being so close to their sick child, but also from being able to interact with other parents who understood what they were going through. Arafat said, “The parents we met and spoke with at the Ronald McDonald House gave us the courage and insight to navigate our daughter’s course of care.”
In July, close to Remy’s actual due date, Arafat and Payom, were able to take Remy home to the house they had made an offer on back in March when life seemed so much simpler. During the over 100 days calling us their “Home-away-from-home”, escrow closed on their first house, Arafat completed her Master’s Degree, and Payom passed the Bar Exam. More importantly, Remy continued to grow and thrive with her parents close by each day.
Arafat shared, “I am amazed by the Long Beach Ronald McDonald House. It is a non-profit, yet everything about it is presented with such excellence. We could not have done this without the help and support of the House.”
To find out how you can make a difference and help families like Arafat, Payom, and Remy, visit our website at www.rmhcsc.org/longbeach. Thank you for helping us help kids.
