Rowan Jameson Windham Foundation: "Holidays in the Hospital"

Over the past seven years, as we have dealt with Rowan's ongoing illness, we have spent over 800 days hospitalized, sometimes for up to 5 or 6 weeks at a time. Rowan has spent 4 of his 7 birthdays in the hospital, and one more where he went in the very next day. He has been in multiple times for Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, etc. We have photos of him in 5 different costumes at the hospital since he was admitted during Halloween nearly every year. Rowan has watched fireworks outside his hospital window, or on the tv in his hospital room for multiple New Years Eves and Fourth of July Celebrations. Sometimes, his stays have even spanned more than one holiday,

as he watched the nurses and staff change decorations out in the hallways.

Rowan has learned to adapt and make the most of these times, and we have gotten pretty good at decorating his hospital room as best we can, so he doesn't completely miss these celebrations. It still doesn't make up for him not being at home with his family and friends, and its still not the same as being outside the hospital walls celebrating like the rest of the community, but we do the best we can. And the blessing in disguise is that we can relate to so many other families like ourselves.

Had we not experienced as many days here as we have, we probably wouldn't have made it our mission to help others in the same situation. Now, we look forward to helping others who are unfortunately spending their holidays in the hospital too.

Here are a series of photos of Rowan over the years, celebrating many many holidays

and birthdays in the hospital. You will notice, he is always smiling though.

That smile is something we strive to bring to the other kids now

through the Rowan Jameson Windham Foundation and its donation programs.

Birthdays...