Ronald McDonald House adds space
The
Ronald McDonald House of Charleston and MUSC go way back. Since
construction was completed in 1983, the house has been home to more
than 9,000 families of seriously ill children in need of a loving
environment while struggling to cope with the illness or loss of a
little loved one.By helping up to 12 families at any given time—the house quickly became known as a special place—a place to escape anxiety-ridden nights in the hospital and where families could find each other, share their triumphs and tragedies, find comfort in normal routines like cooking dinner or doing laundry, and pool their strengths to get through the unbearable.
The TV room is part
of the new wing added to the Ronald McDonald House in November.Now, with the opening of a new wing of the house in November, the Ronald McDonald House of Charleston can assist up to 25 families. The expansion features 13 additional guest rooms, a sea/beach-themed playroom for children, a TV room much like a home theater, an adult snack area, and an updated living and dining room. The new area also provides more studio style rooms complete with mini-fridge, microwave and bathroom for those families whose child must endure the long haul at MUSC.
In addition, the kitchen and laundry rooms were renovated to accommodate the growing house.
“We are excited about our new addition and to be able to serve more families,” said Barbara Bond, Ronald McDonald House Charities executive director. “The hardest thing is to say ‘no’ to a family in their time of need. Now we can say ‘yes!’”
For information about the house, its expansion, or to become a patron, call 723-7957.
Ronald McDonald House Admissions Criteria
To qualify for a room at the Ronald McDonald House: the patient must be a child of 18 years of age or under; family must live outside a 25-mile radius of the hospital; parent of the child must be older than 18 and have legal custody of the child; parent must not be under investigation by DSS for abuse; stay is limited and re-evaluated by staff for extension.
The Ronald McDonald House cannot meet every request for service. When a room becomes available, the director, house manager or designee assigns the room based on the following criteria: (1) priority is given to the outpatient child, if the outpatient child is on treatment. This does not apply to families wishing to arrive one night before admission; (2) priority is given to the intensive care units, with the medical needs of the child being the determining factor; (3) consideration is given to emotional, physical and financial needs, once medical needs are evaluated; (4) when a child moves to a private room, the hospital may be able to accommodate the family for overnight stay. When this is the case, the family would move out of the Ronald McDonald House and stay with their child in the hospital.
Each case is different depending on the number of members in the visiting family and medical needs of the child. To check availability call 723-7957.
Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
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