Our Guest Families are Real Heroes: The Lokey Family
Our featured family at the 2009 Founders Dinner was Alicia and Connor Lokey. Alicia found out that her three year old, Connor, had leukemia on Mother's Day 2008. "He had no symptoms but he had three little pink dots on his stomach. I knew something wasn't right, but cancer never entered my mind," Alicia said.
Connor has a rare type of leukemia with T-cells which gives him 20% less chance of survival, and has had intensive chemotherapy and radiation around his brain.
In the past, Alicia had volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House while she was getting her Master's Degree at UAB, but never imagined she would be staying here using their services. She said, "The staff is so nice they listen and empathize with you. It's a home away from home." Connor enjoys staying here too; he says he likes the food and the playground.
Alicia said the experience has taken away Connor's expectation that the world is a safe place since he recently lost a friend. "It's not the natural order of things to lose friends like it is to lose parents." Alicia says they have learned a lot through it all, but the cancer has really robbed him of some precious times including being in school with his friends.
Connor said he's not going to let cancer beat him up; he wants to be a fireman, garbage man, policeman and a baseball player when he grows up. He is doing great, but he is still in and out of treatment each month for another three years. 
Connor stole the hearts of everyone at the Founders Dinner and Alicia thanked everyone who has been so generous to the Ronald McDonald House by saying, "I love the Ronald McDonald House. Without it over the past year and a half, I would not be alive. Without every one of you in this room and all the great things you do and the contributions you make to the Ronald McDonald House, we couldn't possibly survive what we've gone through, so thank you."