Photo via/Ronald McDonald House Charities
The Royal Inland Hospital Foundation says the renderings for what will be the new Ronald McDonald “Family Room” at the hospital have been completed.
Jenna Vanderburgh, the RIH Foundation’s Director of Annual Giving, says the work to tear-out the existing infrastructure on the 3rd floor in the old tower is underway.
The original plan had been to install the room in the Phil and Jennie Gaglardi Tower.
She says they hope to have the Family Room open and in-use by the parents of sick children being treated at RIH by the end of next year.
“It’s going to give families a place to stay,” said Vanderburgh. “There is one room, but the entire facility that will be there will service multiple families.”
Explanation of the Family Room concept/via Ronald McDonald House Charities
She says the final design plans for the room have also been completed.
“There’s kind of like a little community room…a community center where you kind of do something a little less clinical and a little more fun. Obviously toys in this space. There is, of course, a place to sleep…put your head down. A bit of a cafeteria, or [kitchen] servery if you will.”
The Family Room will be financed by efforts such as last week’s McHappy Day event in Kamloops and Merritt, which raised close to 70-thousand dollars.
It’s estimated the Family Room will cost around 100-thousand dollars a year to operate.
