05/08/2025
On this, the 31st in Canada, I thought a reshare of our story from the Office 231's Ronald McDonald House Wishlist drive was worth a reshare. This cause holds very personal meaning to my family as well as numerous family's I have had the privilege to work with. Each story is unique but a common thread runs through them all...stories of hope and caring when families need it most. Ronald McDonald House's are truly a "home away from home"
Please consider supporting McHappy Day today to extend that hope even more! What better excuse to not have to cook supper tonight ;)
"Becoming a Ronald McDonald House Family: A Story of Hope and Healing (first shared November 1, 2022 for Office 231's Ronald McDonald House Wishlist Drive)
6 years ago, my family became a Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) family very suddenly and unexpectedly when one of our boys needed treatment at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary. I’ll admit….at first, I resisted. We couldn’t possibly need the Ronald McDonald House, that is for kids who are REALLY sick, my kid can’t be THAT sick. I was determined to stick it out in the hospital but, it soon became clear, that wasn’t sustainable. I was exhausted, scared, and overwhelmed, I needed support and care to ensure I was able to provide the support and care my son needed.
Thankfully, the staff at the Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta recognized this and gently encouraged me to give this “home away from home” a chance. I will never forget how they welcomed me with open arms and gave my whole family that place of refuge when we needed it the most. While we stayed at the house a relatively short period of time (1 month, many families stay much longer including Bella Brave who had been at the RMH for almost 600 days by the time my family moved in!), the impression it made on our family has remained.
During our time at the house, our boys celebrated their 8th birthday. The staff at the RMH took away all the worry a momma has when trying to celebrate an important occasion in hospital. We woke up to our door decked out to honor the occasion and an amazing cake filled with M&Ms baked by one of the awesome volunteers (our boys still talk about this cake!). Everyone in the house made a huge effort to make the boys feel special on their big day and, most importantly, they gave us a space where we could be together as a family and let go of the stress of medical appointments for just a little while.
It wasn’t just on holidays and birthdays that families were treated with such care ….every day at the Ronald McDonald House was a special day where they cared for each member of the family. Home cooked meals were provided almost every evening and delicious baking was always available as volunteers prepared numerous goodies throughout the week. Family TV rooms, a special playroom, space in a fully stocked kitchen to store and prepare family meals, access to laundry facilities and, a homey bedroom suite to lay our heads at the end of a long day were just some of the things that I often took for granted at home but, were essential to my family’s well being during a this very difficult time.
In addition to every day needs and routines, the staff at RMH also recognize the need to help parents engage in self care during a time when it is most essential but, also most likely to be pushed to the side. My personal favorite…an opportunity to take a break in all the busyness to have a massage right at the RMH!
RMH staff understand how therapeutic time to relax and have fun is to family well being. During our time at the house, we had the opportunity to take part in many crafts, games, and special events. The opportunity for fun is often the last thing on the minds of families with a child in hospital but, so important as a means to release the stresses and pressure of hospital life. Some of the most memorable events for us were Fear Factor with the Calgary Stampeders and table hockey with Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett of the Calgary Flames but, even the seemingly regular activities like RMH bingo or family movie night were made big and left us with long lasting memories of family connection and healing.
The most profound experience for me, as a mom at the RMH, was the connection I had with other RMH families. This was a club none of us asked to be members of but, deep meaningful relationships of care and support formed, nonetheless. Some of these relationships remain for me today as I remain in contact and hold these family close in thought. Sharing this experience with other parents who deeply understood got me through those tough days when my husband and other son would have to return to Medicine Hat after a weekend at the house or medical appointments didn’t go as well as planned and I felt alone in the pressures of hospital life. No judgement, no advice….we just held each others stories through this shared experience.
Often, kids at the RMH get most excited about visiting the “Magic Room” (i.e., a very special room at the house where kids get to visit on special days like birthdays, end of treatment, hospital discharge, going home) but, to me, the real magic was in all of the things the staff, volunteers, supporters, and other RMH families did to provide a “home away from home” and a place of hope during a time when hope seemed to be lacking."
