Thousands of families have paid tribute to Dublin’s Ronald McDonald House, which is celebrating ten years of being “a home away from home” this year.
The charity is based at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin and provides accommodation, care and support for 20 families every night while their children are being treated at the hospital.
Rosie Conneely and her family have stayed at the house four times over the last number of years, since her four-year-old daughter Aideen was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2011.
On their first visit, the family had expected to stay for six weeks but ended up at the hospital for ten months when Aideen had to undergo a bone marrow transplant and endured further complications when the donated marrow was too strong for her body and began to attack her organs.
During this time, Aideen needed one of her parents with her at all times and Rosie says that having the Ronald McDonald House at hand was invaluable in getting them through a traumatic and challenging time.
“We have two other children and we had to try and keep a routine for them. Luckily, my mother-in-law was able to take care of them at home during the week and having the Ronald McDonald House meant that they could come up at the weekends and spend time with us. It kept the family together as much as possible.
“Four months after Aideen was admitted, it was her brother’s tenth birthday and the staff at the Ronald McDonald House created a little party in the library for him. Because the House is on the grounds of the hospital, the doctors let Aideen out so she could come to the party for an hour, which was the first time that the five of us had been together since it all began. That just wouldn’t have been possible if the House wasn’t there.”
Aideen is now doing well following her last surgery in January 2013 and Rosie paid tribute to the staff and volunteers at the house, saying that they prepared meals and offered “amazing support” during their stay.
“They were always there to listen to us and the other families when we were going through tough times. It’s not just a job for them. Having the house meant that you could pop back for a shower or just for cup of tea and a chat to get your head out of things for a little while because the hospital is such a stressful environment. You know that you are only two minutes away so if your child wakes screaming for you, you can be there as quickly as possible. They provide such a lifeline and help to take that pressure off so it would be great if they had more rooms and could help even more families.”
Since the Ronald McDonald House opened its doors in November 2004, it has hosted 2,471 families from all over Ireland and the annual running costs of €300,000 are covered solely from fundraising and donations as the charity receives no financial support from the hospital or the Government.
Volunteers have saved the charity in excess of €720,000 over the past ten years by donating their time and expertise on a pro-bono basis. A major contribution to their fundraising is the McDonald’s annual fundraising drive – McHappy Day, which takes place on Saturday October 18th. McDonald’s branches across Ireland are showing their support for the charity on the day, with €1 being donated from every Big Mac sold.
Leinster and Ireland rugby star and Board Member of RMHC Shane Jennings launched the campaign this week and stressed the importance of having such a facility in place for struggling families.
“I’m proud to support the Ronald McDonald House Charity and the important service that it provides for families who are faced with caring for a seriously ill child. Over the last ten years, the House has been a home away from home for families from around the country, giving them not only the accommodation they desperately need but also a support structure and a sense of normality during what are often very difficult times. The House allows parents to recharge and focus on what’s important – being by their child’s side throughout their time in hospital.”
Any donation, big or small, will go towards helping a family in their greatest time of need. You can donate online at www.rmhc.ie, in a McDonald’s restaurant or on McHappy Day by buying a Big Mac at one of the participating restaurant, when €1 from each Big Mac sold will be donated to Ronald McDonald House.
