The New Ronald McDonald House Windsor
May 6, 2016 | Community Engagement
, Design & Innovation , News & Updates
Grand opening of the first Ronald McDonald House-within-a-hospital. The facility officially opens to families on Monday, May 9, 2016.
Keeping families together when they need each other most. From inside the new Ronald McDonald House, you would never guess you are in a hospital.
This new home away from home is a comfortable place for families to come and stay, or just take a break and get refreshed when they have a child in the hospital.
The Ronald McDonald House Windsor contains:
7 bedrooms
5 of the rooms have an ensuite bathroom
2 smaller rooms for naps or short-term stays
A full kitchen stocked with free nourishment, where the coffee is always on. In addition, there's a dining room where families can sit and enjoy a home-cooked meal with other parents who are dealing with similar health journeys
A laundry space to make sure clothes - or a child’s favourite blanket - stay fresh and clean!
Public lounge spaces with a computer station so families can stay connected.
A gorgeous sunroom to bring in some sunlight and fresh air!
You might ask why now? Why not just build the house within a hospital when the new hospital is constructed?
The answer, according to Windsor Regional Hospital Board Chair, Bob Renaud, is simple. The hospital may not be built for another 10 years.
“We could put thousands of families through Ronald McDonald House in the meantime. I will tell you, every one of those families deserves that. They don’t deserve to be told to wait for the new hospital. Their children are sick right now.” Bob Renaud
WATCH: Bob Renaud, Chair, Windsor Regional Hospital Board of Directors, addresses a crowd at the opening of the new Ronald McDonald House.
Every year about 430 babies who are born at WRH have to stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit due to complications. They are there for an average of 13 days, though many have to stay more than a month.
In addition, about 540 children who receive paediatric care at WRH every year, live more than 50 miles away from the hospital.
We look forward to offering the families of these children a comfortable place to stay in this home away from home. A huge thanks goes out to the Ronald McDonald House for making this possible.
The house officially opens to families on Monday. Members of the public are invited to come and check it our this weekend.
Public tours are scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, May 7 from 10 am - 4 pm and Sunday, May 8, from 12 pm - 4 pm. The home is located on the 3rd floor of the Windsor Regional Hospital, Met Campus.