This Saturday is McHappy Day, the largest fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which helps keep families together while seriously ill children are treated.
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RMHC is an independent charity, whose charity operations McDonald’s and its franchises support.
McDonald’s eateries in Glen Innes and Armidale will be raising money on the day.
Glen Innes McDonald’s will have a fire truck, hot rods, a jumping castle, Glen High Innes High School dancers, Kidzfit dancing, clowns, and stalls from 10am to 2pm.
$2 from every Big Mac sold goes directly to RMHC, while people can also buy socks for $5, helping hands from $2 to $50, or donate a gold coin to the bucket brigade.
You can also donate to the Armidale McDonald’s online: https://www.mchappyday.org.au/fundraisers/Armidale-Restaurant292/mchappy-day-2018.
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Glen Innes mother Emma Biddle knows just how important the charity is.
At the start of last year, her little girl, Josie Grob, was diagnosed with leukaemia.
The family stayed at Ronald McDonald House next to John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle.
“Pretty much from the day she was diagnosed, they gave us a home,” Emma said. “We ended up living there for nine-and-a-half months.”
Ronald McDonald Houses are attached to major women and children’s hospitals throughout the country, providing a home away from home for seriously ill children and their families.
“It’s an amazing place; the volunteers are always super-friendly and helpful!” Emma said.
“I don’t know what we would ever have done without them.”
Josie, now three, is in maintenance; she goes every four weeks for chemotherapy, to keep it gone – and, Emma said, is doing really well.
McDonald’s Australia and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) hope to raise more than $4.5 million to help families like Emma and Josie’s.
This equates to more than 34,000 nights accommodation in a Ronald McDonald House for families in need.
“Raising funds on McHappy Day will help even more families stay close together at one of the toughest times in their lives,” McDonald’s Australia said.
Funds raised will support RMHC programs, also including:
the Ronald McDonald Learning Program, helping seriously ill children catch up on their missed education after long hospital stays and absence from school;
Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, sanctuaries in hospitals, with lounge areas, sleeping rooms, laundries, and cooking facilities; and
Family Retreats, places near the beach or nature where families can stay for a week.
Since 1981, the Ronald McDonald Houses have collectively housed over 3.4 million nightly guests. This number is set to grow, with demand from families increasing.
“This power of family closeness is a driving factor in the work of RMHC,” McDonald’s Australia said.
“Families tell us that their ability to stay together during their child’s treatment has a positive effect on both their child’s psychological well-being, and on the pace of recovery.”