SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- For Sandra Caswell and Lee Tillinghast, this holiday season has been a difficult one. Their seven month old daughter Victoria was diagnosed with achalasia, a rare disease that affects the esophagus. She is being treated in Syracuse, however the family is from Ithaca.

"I'm constantly wondering how she's doing and I can't be here all the time, and that's hard as well. So I just try to deal with it the best I can," said Lee Tillinghast, Victoria's father.

The burden on Sandra and Lee has been eased a bit however thanks to the Central New York Ronald McDonald House. For Sandra, who has spent the past month away from home, the support she has received here has helped her down a tough road.

"We are reminded of home and family because we're here. That's the atmosphere that's here is a family atmosphere. And that's probably the most important, most meaningful is that it's a family here," said Sandra Caswell, Victoria's mother.

With being away from home during the holidays, they say it's comforting to be at a place like this.

"At this holiday season, I haven't even decorated at home. So it's nice to come in their living room, they have a Christmas tree and it's just nice to have a place of comfort," said Caswell.

"I feel blessed to be here and for all the support this place offers. It just helps ease the burden of what we're going through during the holiday period or anytime really," said Tillinghast.

"This is an essential place for anyone in our situation. So we're just very grateful, very very grateful that this place exists," said Caswell.

Victoria Tillinghast is scheduled for surgery Monday afternoon to correct the disorder.