No parent ever imagines their child will get so sick that they’ll have to be hospitalized. It’s unnatural. As a NICU nurse in a large pediatric hospital, it’s assumed that I know about Ronald McDonald House Charities. It’s not uncommon for parents to have their babies stay in the hospital for extended periods of time…weeks and even months. I could share many a story of families who have had to travel quite a distance in order for their child to be afforded with the necessary medical care. The emotional and financial stress this puts on a family who is struggling to cope with a sick child can be very overwhelming. If there are other children present, the situation becomes even more complicated.
I recently had a very special opportunity to visit the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House. With only a handful of bloggers in attendance, I was honored to be invited to be a part of such an important event. I want to start by sharing with you the mission of the LA RMH: “To support the health and well-being of children by providing a ‘home away from home’ for families of seriously ill children who are receiving care in Southern California.” Simply put, RMHC keeps families together. Family-centered care (where the family is involved and actively participating in the medical care of a patient) has been shown to improve outcomes. But how can families be involved if they live in another county…or another country?
Such is the case with a mom and her son who have been living at the LA RMH because their home is in Hong Kong. And by the way, her husband is overseas, working to ensure they are able to survive financially. Listening to her story was heart-wrenching, but hopeful and inspirational. As a woman and a mom, I only hope I could be as strong as she is. Out of gratitude to the people of RMHC, her and her husband decided to give back. They are raising funds to sponsor a family room at the LA RMH.
I will be completely honest in that my expectations for what I was to see were so greatly underestimated. I expected simple and clean. What I found was much more than that. The LA RMH very much resembles the modernness of a hotel, with an open ambience. It’s very much a “home away from home” complete with a kitchen, library, and fitness room. Many companies have donated items to furnish the rooms. One such example is Select Comfort who has been the “Official Bed Provider” for Ronald McDonald House Charities for over 8 years.
I find that it’s important for families to be comfortable…to have the comforts of home while being as close to their children as possible. The support that these families receive from both RMHC and the other families in the house is incredible.
None of this would be possible without help from people like you and me. Two of the most important things you can do to support RMHC are to donate and volunteer. While it costs approximately $125 a night to house one family, RMHC only charges families $25 a night (and if a family is only able to pay some of that, they are not turned away). The difference must be made up somewhere, in order for RMHC to continue to provide families with this much needed resource.
Tomorrow is McHappy Day. When you visit your local McDonald’s and purchase select food items, $1 will be donated to the RMHC. You can also purchase a “hand” for $1 to help with RMHC.
And don’t forget about how important volunteering is. Much of what goes on in the facility is made possible because people like you and I volunteer our time and services.
Here are some pictures from the event:
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I think RMH is SUCH a wonderful program, if only everyone were as giving as the people involved with the RMH program the world would be such a better place.
RMH is one of my favorite charities and one I try to support every year. As times get tougher for all of us, it is still easy for us to spend $1.00 or to donate a can of food. And volunteering only costs our time.
Thank you for spending your time to bring this wonderful place to our attention.