• The philanthropic initiative of McDonald’s marks 6 years of its presence in the country working for the well-being of terminally ill children and their families
• Lives of over 35,000 families have been touched by RMHC India since its founding

CHENNAI: Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) India, the CSR arm of McDonald’s, marked its 6th year of existence in India. The occasion celebrated RMHC India’s commitment to supporting families with terminally ill children while also reaffirming its pledge to assist many more families in the future. Hundreds of kids participated in enjoyable games and other leisure activities to commemorate the anniversary. Since its founding in 2016, the charity has been working towards making the difficult journey easier for parents and their sick children undergoing cancer treatment through Ronald McDonald Family Room (RMFR).

Situated in the Outpatient Department of the Paediatric Haematology – Oncology of Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, the RMFR provides comfort and care to these families, when they need the most. RMHC India has touched the lives of over 35,000 families since its inception. Most of the children and their families that frequent the RMHC Family Room, come from remote, rural locations in India owing to the lack of healthcare facilities in their hometowns.

To help the kids cope better in a hospital environment, the Family Room offers a bright and happy space that lets children be children and do things they would love to do like playing with toys and reading books besides drawing strength from each other’s company. It provides a comfortable waiting area wherein families await their turn to meet the doctors and offers various facilities like a child-friendly play corner and refreshments area for these families. The facility also supports families with the right counseling, a place to rest and regroup, along with 19 recliner beds for children undergoing treatment. RMHC India is looking to increase the number of beds in the months to come to enable more children to rest comfortably during their treatment.

Smita Jatia, Chairwoman, RMHC India said, “This is a very gratifying moment for us as we celebrate the 6th Anniversary of RMHC India. Our association with BJ Wadia Hospital has helped us touch the lives of thousands of children and their families. With the philosophy of keeping children and families close to each other in tough times, RMHC India is leaving no stone unturned in connecting with them and ensuring they go through a comforting medical journey. Today RMHC India is a synonym for care, wellbeing, and support and on this occasion, we would like to reaffirm our commitment to spread more smiles on the faces of such little angels and stand by our community.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities is creating a huge positive impact through its global network of 368 Ronald McDonald Houses in 64 countries. The RMHC facility establishes and promotes care centers, care rooms, and care houses to benefit all families whose children have been undergoing medical treatment for their critical illnesses.