Beautiful seven-year-old Janay Maguel came to stay at the Ronald McDonald House here in Birmingham, all the way from her home in Belize, a country located in Central America. Janay was shot in a market in Belize leaving her with a serious spinal chord injury. She immediately underwent two major surgeries in Belize. Soon after the incident, Janay was transported to Mobile, Alabama for further treatment. However, the hospitals in Mobile were unable to provide the necessary pediatric physical therapy Janay needed. Like many of our House guests, Janay and her mother Rose found their way to Birmingham for more specialized pediatric care.
Janay and Rose stayed with us while Janay went through therapy to regain mobility. At first they were going to the hospital five days a week for two hours each day, but with hard work they have been able to cut back the sessions to only two days a week.
Janay is an amazing little girl. Her favorite colors are pink and purple. She is only in third grade but is fluent in English, Spanish and Creole.
Because of the Ronald McDonald House, Janay was able to stay in her own room with her mother as she worked hard to recover. While taking a break from school, Janay enjoyed her off time from therapy playing games with new friends at the house. She even met Ronald when he visited the House. Right now she is working on a scrapbook about her time here so she can have something to remember all her amazing new friends by.
