Celebrating Giselle Morales and RMH-NY Social Workers
Not many people experience a place like Ronald McDonald House New York from both sides of the front door.
Fewer still understand it as both a professional partner—referring families in their most vulnerable moments—and as a parent walking through those doors in crisis, searching for stability, rest, and proximity to their child.
Giselle Morales has lived both.
And during Social Work Month this March, her story becomes something larger than a single experience. It becomes a lens into the heart of social work itself—what it means to advocate, to support, and to stand beside families when everything feels uncertain.
Because for Giselle, this work is not theoretical. It is lived. It is felt. And now, it is carried forward into every family she helps.
A Profession Built on Presence, Not Just Process
Before titles, credentials, and years of experience, Giselle Morales was someone who simply paid attention to people.
To connect families to resources that change the course of their experience.
“I wanted to be in a position where I can help people… but also feel seen, supported, empowered,” she shared.
Her early interest in law came from a desire to advocate. But over time, that advocacy evolved into something more human-centered. Less about winning cases. More about holding space.
“I’ve always had that empathetic kind of ear,” she said. “It’s about walking alongside someone.”
That idea of walking alongside sits at the core of all social work. It is not about stepping in front of someone’s journey or directing it from afar. It is about your consistent presence within it.
Hospital for Special Surgery on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
And for Giselle, that presence has taken shape across more than a decade of work, now rooted at the Hospital for Special Surgery on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
She identifies families who could benefit from the resources at Ronald McDonald House New York and partners with RMH-NY social workers to advocate for their placement through the referral process.
Supporting Patients Beyond the Diagnosis
At the Hospital for Special Surgery, Giselle focuses on patients living with lupus, an autoimmune disease that often hides in plain sight.
“Your body basically attacks itself,” she explained. “It can affect your lungs, your kidneys, your heart… and there’s no cure.”
But the medical definition only scratches the surface.
General Systemic Symptoms - Lupus
For the pediatric patients and young adults she works with, lupus can mean missed school days, chronic fatigue, unpredictable flare-ups, and a constant negotiation between what they feel and what the world expects them to be able to do.
“You can look completely fine and still be incredibly sick,” she said.
That disconnect can be isolating. And that is where Giselle’s work becomes transformative.
She leads a national peer support and education program called Charla de Lupus (Lupus Chat)®, creating space for teens, young adults, and caregivers to ask questions, share experiences, and feel understood.
“We try to normalize the setting,” she said. “To give them moments where they’re not just their diagnosis.”
From educational sessions about kidney health to events that simply allow young patients to feel like themselves again, her work blends healthcare innovations with emotional support in a way that meets families where they are.
But even with years of experience navigating complex systems and advocating for others, nothing prepared her for what it felt like to become the parent in need.
Understanding Lupus
Lupus, as defined by the Hospital for Special Surgery Lupus and APS Center of Excellence, is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues, leading to inflammation and damage across multiple organ systems. The disease is highly unpredictable and can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, and even the brain, often in cycles of flares and remission. (Hospital for Special Surgery) Symptoms can range from profound fatigue and joint pain to visible rashes and organ complications, and because lupus presents differently in every patient, it can be difficult to diagnose and manage. (apsfa.org) At its core, lupus is not just a physical condition—it is a complex, whole-body disease that can disrupt daily life, emotional stability, and long-term health if not carefully monitored.
When the System Becomes Personal
In December 2022, Giselle’s life shifted without warning.
Giselle's daughter, Olivia
At just over 31 weeks pregnant, complications led to the early delivery of her daughter. The moment was filled with fear, heightened by a previous loss and the uncertainty of what would come next.
“I genuinely thought I was going to die,” she said.
Her daughter was born at 32 weeks and admitted to the NICU. While medically stable, the situation demanded something Giselle had never had to navigate before: being on the outside of the system she knew so well.
The Day Olivia Arrived
“I was like, I need a social worker,” she said.
Recovering from a C-section, living in Brooklyn, and needing to be present at the Upper East Side hospital daily, she began searching for solutions—hotels, temporary housing, anything that could keep her close.
What is striking is not what she found. It is what she almost missed.
“I knew about the House… but I didn’t think I qualified,” she said. “I didn’t want to take from someone else.”
That hesitation is not uncommon. It is, in fact, one of the many reasons social workers play such a critical role in bridging access to care.
Because even those who know the system intimately can struggle to see themselves as deserving of support.
The House That Rewrites the Experience
Once Giselle arrived at Ronald McDonald House New York, the shift was immediate—and lasting.
“I had a place to sleep, shower, eat close to the hospital, but it was way more than that,” she said. “It was the warmth of everyone. The small details. The smiles.”
For 32 days, the House became her foundation.
In a time defined by uncertainty, it offered something rare: consistency.
“Everything that felt completely out of control except the House,” she said. “The House made it normal.”
That sense of normalcy is not accidental. It is the result of intentional, compassionate care designed to meet both the practical and emotional needs of families.
It allowed Giselle to focus on what mattered most—being present for her daughter.
“I needed to go bring milk and see her every day,” she said. “To make sure she had someone there.”
Proximity Is Not a Luxury
One of the most powerful lessons from Giselle’s experience came during an unexpected moment.
Her daughter was scheduled for a NICU transfer—without clear communication.
Giselle's daughter, Olivia, only days old in the NICU.
“Can you imagine me coming back and my child is not there?” she said.
Because she was staying close, she was able to act immediately. She made it back in time, advocated for her daughter, and remained present throughout the transition.
That moment crystallized something she now carries into every decision she makes for families that she serves.
“Connection is healing,” she said. “Being able to be there… it’s everything.”
For families navigating pediatric care, proximity is not just convenient. It is critical.
It enables advocacy.
It supports bonding.
It strengthens resilience.
And it ensures that no parent feels disconnected from their child’s care.
A Social Worker, Reimagined by Experience
Returning to work after her daughter’s NICU stay, Giselle found that her perspective had shifted in subtle but powerful ways.
“It deepens your empathy even more,” she said. “I’m always thinking, how can I reduce just one layer of stress?”
She also recognized something that reshaped her approach entirely.
“When you’re in it, you’re in that storm,” she said. “You don’t think about resources the same way.”
Now, she does not wait for families to ask questions. She anticipates needs. She offers solutions before stress compounds.
“I tell people right away,” she said. “If this can help you, go.”
Her work has become more immediate, more intentional, and more deeply rooted in lived understanding.
What Partnership Looks Like in Motion
The collaboration between the Hospital for Special Surgery and Ronald McDonald House New York is not defined by paperwork. It is defined by responsiveness, trust, and shared purpose.
“They made it so easy to make a referral,” Giselle said. “It’s very collaborative.”
That simplicity allows social workers like Giselle to act quickly when families need support.
And the results are tangible.
She recalls a mother balancing work, caregiving, and the emotional toll of a hospitalized child.
“She told me, ‘This is amazing,’” Giselle said. “She could work, see her child, and still be present for her other child. It was a sigh of relief.”
That relief is not abstract. It is immediate. It changes how families move through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
A Day in the Life of a Hospitality Cart
Partnerships at RMH-NY come in all shapes and sizes—and with Hospital for Special Surgery, it’s a two-way street powered by compassion (and a well-stocked cart).
Giselle and her fellow social workers help connect families to the House when they need it most. Meanwhile, our Program team rolls right into HSS with the RMH-NY Hospitality Cart—delivering snacks, small joys, and a much-needed moment of normalcy to pediatric patients and their families.
Run by volunteers and fueled by heart, the cart has become a familiar, welcome sight across NYC hospitals. Curious what a day on wheels looks like? Click here and take a stroll through A Day in the Life of a Hospitality Cart.
The Team Behind the Door
While Giselle’s story highlights the impact of partnership, it also points to a group whose work often goes unseen: the social work team at Ronald McDonald House New York.
These professionals are the engine behind every referral, every check-in, and every moment of calm that families experience inside the House.
They are the ones who maintain relationships with hospital partners like Giselle.
They are the ones who ensure every family’s needs are met day after day, night after night.
They are the ones who make the experience feel seamless, even when the circumstances are anything but.
Our Incredible Team of Social Work Professionals
Their work is constant.
Three hundred sixty-five days a year, they show up for families navigating pediatric cancer, complex surgeries, and life-threatening illnesses.
They assess needs.
They coordinate care.
They provide emotional support that extends far beyond logistics.
And they do it all with a level of compassion that transforms a place to stay into a place of healing.
During Social Work Month, their contributions deserve more than recognition. They deserve celebration.
Because without them, partnerships would not function. Families would not find their way. And moments of stability would be far harder to come by.
Compassion That Moves Beyond Words
When Giselle reflects on what the House represents, her answer is both simple and profound.
“It’s compassionate action,” she said. “You don’t just promote this—you actually live it.”
Olivia today.
That idea—compassion in motion—is what connects her work to the work happening inside the House every single day.
It is the understanding that emotional support must be paired with real, tangible care.
It is the belief that families should not have to navigate hardship alone.
And it is the commitment to ensuring that when a child is receiving treatment, their family can stay close together, supported, and seen.
A Full-Circle Beginning
Today, Giselle’s daughter Olivia is thriving.
“You wouldn’t even think she was a preemie,” she said. “She’s a complete boss.”
But one moment continues to define everything that came before it.
After leaving the hospital, Giselle and her husband spent their very first night as a family together at the House.
“That was our first night together,” she said. “It was lovely.”
It is a quiet detail. Easy to overlook. But it captures the essence of what Ronald McDonald House New York provides.
Not just a place to stay.
A place to begin again.
Honoring the Work That Holds Families Together
Social Work Month is a time to recognize a profession that often operates behind the scenes.
But stories like Giselle’s bring that work into focus.
They show what it means to advocate with urgency.
To support with empathy.
Giselle Morales stands as both a partner and a witness to that impact.
She has guided families toward support.
She has relied on that same support herself.
And now, she carries both perspectives into every conversation, every referral, and every moment of care.
Because when social workers and organizations come together with purpose, something powerful happens.
Families find relief.
They find strength.
And most importantly, they find a way to stay together… exactly when they need it most.
About Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS)
HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 16th consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2025-2026), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2024-2025). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fifth consecutive year (2025). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates.
Hospital for Special Surgery’s Lupus and APS Center of Excellence integrates treatment, research, and education with the goal of improving the lives of patients with lupus or antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). The center features a multidisciplinary staff of doctors, nurses and social workers who implement novel disease prevention to achieve optimal patient outcomes. For more information, please visit www.hss.edu/lupuscenter or email LupusAPSCenter@hss.edu.
