Ronald McDonald Family Room |
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In the fall of 2008, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine partnered with the Ronald McDonald House of Portland and Maine Medical Center to open the first Ronald McDonald Family Room in the state of Maine, in the hospital’s new East Tower. When families walk into the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, they might forget they’re in a hospital. The Ronald McDonald Family Room offers comfort and support to families of seriously ill or injured children. The Ronald McDonald Family Room at Maine Medical Center includes a small library and computer station, and offers families a place to escape the stress and tension of the hospital unit. Family Rooms extend the care of Ronald McDonald Houses into medical facilities so children know their parents are close by. History of Ronald McDonald Family RoomCreated in Kansas City, Kan., in 1992, as an extension of the Ronald McDonald House, the Ronald McDonald Family Room has become the fastest growing RMHC program. Ronald McDonald Family Rooms originally were intended for communities that didn’t need or couldn’t sustain a facility as large as a Ronald McDonald House. But the Ronald McDonald Family Room program has evolved into a stand-alone program and an effective support system for the families of critically ill children — both those from the local community and those who travel for their children’s treatment. Local RMHC Chapters work closely with their hospital partners to ensure Family Rooms best meet the needs of families. Ronald McDonald Family Rooms are replicable and economically feasible programs in communities around the world. Today, there are 125 Family Rooms operating in 13 countries and regions. |
