It’s been a long time coming but Kamloops is finally getting a Ronald McDonald House.
When out of town children children are hospitalized, their parents will now be able to stay close to them without the added cost of a hotel.
Richard Pass, CEO of Ronald McDonald Charities, says the Kamloops version will be what is called a Ronald McDonald family room right in Royal Inland Hospital.
“Just like a house or a condo basically within the hospital,” he said.
“It would have a place to do laundry, a place to cook a meal, a little play area for kids, that type of thing so that the families, while they’re at the hospital, they don’t have to sit in the hallway. They can really get out of that hospital environment into a little safety and support area.”
A Family Room opened recently at Surrey Memorial Hospital that has four sleeping rooms in it.
Pass adds they are working with the RIH Foundation to determine what the need is here, but said when the next phase of the hospital opens in 2022, that room will be there with it.
This Wednesday is McHappy Day, $1 from every Big Mac sold will go to Ronald McDonald Charities.
Last year, $6.1-million was raised across Canada.