Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville

Our :

"May hope always fill your heart."

A special full-circle moment to end the week: In 2000, Dylan’s family stayed with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tulsa, Inc. while he was being treated at a nearby hospital. 24 years later, Dylan returned to stay at the House, this time as a dad. His son Creed finished his treatment and their family is returning home! We are sending them the best wishes on the next part of their journey. 🎉💙

Did you know today, August 15, is National Relaxation Day. In 1985, nine-year-old Sean Moeller came up with the idea! National Relaxation day promotes stress relief through relaxation techniques like meditation and yoga. Our lives often get so busy that we forget to take time for ourselves and kick back and relax.

It is incredibly important to make time for unwinding and enjoyment during your day in order to lead a healthy life. Here are some examples of relaxation to add into your day.

▪ Meditate
▪ Yoga
▪ Take a walk
▪ Laugh with your friends or family

Through our 1,000+ RMHC programs around the world, we strive to meet the unique needs of families all along their children’s healthcare journey, addressing the importance of proximity, involvement, education and partnership in meeting those needs. 💙🌍

📸: Sala Familiar Ronald McDonald Vall D'Hebron

Another Monday is upon us, and let's get this week started with a great Monday Motivation:

"Do things at your own pace. Life's not a race."

The RMHC mission goes far beyond giving families a place to stay when their child needs healthcare. Our work aims to provide families with access to care, surround them with a supportive community, and meet their physical and emotional needs.

To learn more about our impact, visit rmhc.org 💙

One of the most special things families find when they turn to RMHC for support is friendship!

Depending on a family's needs, they can be with us for just a couple of days or, in some cases, years. Being surrounded by other families and children experiencing similar situations forms bonds that can last a lifetime. Together, they can play, rest, and support each other when it matters most. 💙

Volunteering with RMHC can take many different forms! At Ronald McDonald Børnefond, volunteers support families by cooking, repairing bikes, knitting socks, and even making towel animals! Each of these acts of care provide physical and emotional support to families, allowing them to focus their energy on their child. Learn how you can get involved at rmhc.org/get-involved 💙✨

Shouting Thank You to Virginia Women's Basketball. The Hoos came 2 nights this week to help cook meals and make breakfast for our families. It is our partnership with Cav Futures and the student athletes of UVA Athletics that continue to make a difference to our familes. As always GO HOOS!!

“We were so happy to be at the Ronald McDonald House. We were with other families we could exchange stories with and seek recognition from each other.”

When Sef was born prematurely at 28 weeks, his parents Irene and Marco, found the support and strength they needed at Ronald McDonald Kinderfonds. From a loving community of other families with similar experiences to warm meals each day, RMHC allowed them to be with Sef as much as possible during his treatment. 💙

What a week! Over the last few days, RMHC colleagues from 58 countries joined us here in Chicago for the 2024 RMHC International Conference.

It was an incredible time filled with connection, discussion, and inspiration! From our 100 learning sessions to a private screening of Audrey's Children, a biopic of our co-founder, the late Dr. Audrey Evans, we had an unforgettable time together.

Thank you to the 1,700+ members of the RMHC Family that traveled far and wide to be with us. YOU are the heart of the work we do and the driving force of our mission to provide essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare.

As we continue to celebrate our milestone anniversary this year, let us remember: we are 50 years young, and our work has just begun!

Isaac McKneely!!

It's Monday, and the start of a new week, let's be thankful!

Give thanks each morning as your day begins.

Hoos have been in the house! We want to thank the UVA Men’s Basketball Team for the last 2 afternoons the Hoos have been cooking dinner, prepping breakfasts and making lunches for our families stay at the House! We are forever grateful for this team of players for the generosity they should. And as always, GO HOOS!!!

In 2008, Instituto Ronald McDonald launched the Childhood Cancer Early Diagnosis program, which has trained 35,000 health and education professionals to identify early signs and symptoms of cancer for quicker referrals to specialized care centers. This initiative ensures that children receive faster, critical care, significantly improving survival rates across Brazil. Learn more about the program at https://institutoronald.org.br/home/diagnostico-precoce/

Prime Days are here! If you’re going to be ADDING TO CART throughout the day, take a peek at our Wish List (https://amzn.to/460NSWb) and consider making a few wishes come true by purchasing some Household essentials. It takes a community to keep our House running smoothly—and we’ve definitely got a great community!

Join us in celebrating Mathias and his mom as they head back home! 🎉 While Mathias received treatment at a nearby hospital, his family found strength and support at RMHC. For 166 nights, Ronald McDonald House Charities Dayton provided them with physical and emotional support so they could focus on the health of Mathias. 💙

It's Monday and time for a little motivation.

Believe in yourself and all that you are, know that there is something inside you that is greater that any obstacle.

It’s never a dull moment when UVA Football comes to visit. As always gentlemen we are thankful for you selfless giving and desire to help our house and families. Your meal of Meatloaf Muffins, Scallop Potatoes, and Green Beans are already a hit. You patiently took the time to package up cookies so our families have a sweet snack to enjoy. Thanks for the extra muscle in moving some of those heavy items. We look forward to your next visit. And as always… GOOOO HOOOOOS!!!!

"The care, consideration, kindness, and aroha (love) that RMHC showed my whānau (family) will be something I treasure forever."

When three-year-old Nia needed medical care, the Quinn family traveled a considerable distance from their home for her to receive high-level care. Thankfully, Ronald McDonald House Charities New Zealand provided the strength and care they needed to best support Nia on her healthcare journey. 💙

It's Wishlist Wednesday. We know that we have the best community and the support we receive is amazing. We are currently in need of a few items to continue to help our families. If you are out and about and find yourself with some extra time, please feel free to pick something up that's on our list. Our families thank you.

Too HOT to leave the house? We understand! We have an Amazon Wishlist that you can shop from, click the link below:

https://amzn.to/460NSWb

It's Monday Morning. What's your motivation? Great things never came from comfort zone.

Did you know that over 281,000 volunteers dedicate their time and talents to support RMHC families around the globe? 🌎 That's countless hours of baking, playing, teaching, and so much more, all to ensure that families feel comfortable and cared for throughout their child's healthcare journey. 💙 Find your local RMHC Chapter at https://rmhc.org/get-involved/how-to-help/volunteer

📸: Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Triangle

Welcome to the new Ronald McDonald House in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan! 🇹🇼 With 20 sleeping rooms, RMHC Taiwan (麥當勞叔叔之家慈善基金會) will provide 7,300 nights of accommodation annually for families with children receiving medical treatment nearby.

Built with playrooms, lounge areas, and a large kitchen, families who turn to RMHC for support will enjoy all the comforts of home throughout their child's healthcare journey. 💙

For 50 years, RMHC has provided families with access to care all along their child's healthcare journey. From one Ronald McDonald House to a system now comprised of 1,000+ programs, we ensure that children and their families are supported before, during, and after medical treatment. 💙

We are committed to addressing family needs along a child’s healthcare journey, and sometimes that means creating programs and services for the unique needs of families in their communities.

In the Netherlands, Ronald McDonald Kinderfonds offers three different “Holiday Houses” to families after a child’s long-term hospital stay. At these Houses, families stay for up to a week in an apartment with their own kitchen, bedrooms, and living areas - all specially equipped for their children’s needs. 🏡💙

Check out some other unique RMHC programs in Europe: https://rmhc.org/rmhc-family-stories/meeting-local-needs

Over the last seven years, Zainab and her family have traveled internationally to New York for medical treatments. As international patients, their biggest challenge and fear was finding accommodation. But since their first stay at Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Metro, they have found their second home where they have access to the care they need, a loving and supportive community, and a space to rest and recharge. 💙

For many families that turn to RMHC for support, their children require prolonged and often complex medical treatment. That's why some Ronald McDonald House programs have schools and learning centers for children receiving treatment and their siblings. 💙📚

The schools at Ronald McDonald House Charities Toronto, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Upper Midwest, and Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area serve students from kindergarten through high school, offering classes in reading, math, science, art, PE, and more! Taught by certified teachers, the children at these schools are surrounded by a supportive, caring community as they continue their education away from home. 🥰

For the past 50 years, RMHC been a unique source of strength and support to families when their child needs medical care. 💙

Learn more about our impact at https://rmhc.org/about-us/our-history

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers, grandfathers, and guardians who are supporting children in need of healthcare 💙 Nothing beats dad's loving hug or funny jokes, especially while receiving medical treatment. 🥰

Look at those muscles! 💪💙 RMHC kids are the strongest around, and while they receive care, we ensure that their families have all the resources and care they need along their child's healthcare journey.

📸: Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Triangle

The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program has delivered healthcare to families since 2000. Around the world, Care Mobiles bring dental, medical, and health care resources to underserved communities where families need it most. 🦷 🚌

To learn more about the impact of this program, visit https://bit.ly/CareMobiles

After spending 277 nights at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City, the Jackson family is going home! 🎉 While little Evelyn was recovering from a heart transplant, her family received the care they needed while being supported by a loving community of volunteers and other RMHC families. 💙

Local RMHC programs help meet the unique needs of communities around the world before, during, and after medical treatment. From sensory rooms to learning centers, we ensure that families have the needed access to care along their child’s healthcare journey. 💙

📸: Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona

Welcome to one of the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms in Perth, Australia! 🇦🇺 This Family Room has 7 distinct zones to meet the needs and interests of all families. From a parent's retreat to a teen den, children and their families can find peace and rest, all within the hospital. 💙 Ronald McDonald House Charities Western Australia

For 50 years, we have provided essential resources to families with children who need healthcare so they can laugh, play, and heal with their siblings by their side. 💙 When you support RMHC, you make it possible for families to be together when it matters most. Donate today at rmhc.org/donate ✨

📸: Ronald McDonald Kinderfonds

At RMHC, we envision a world where every family has what they need to ensure the best health outcomes for their children, including what they need most - each other! 💙

📸: Casa Ronald McDonald Málaga

Ronald McDonald Family Rooms come in different shapes and sizes, but they are all designed to provide families with a place of respite within the hospital, steps away from their child's bedside. In Madrid, Fundación Infantil Ronald McDonald provides families with children receiving care in the nearby neonatal unit with all the comforts of home so they can stay strong for their children. 🇪🇸💙

The best news! 🎉 After 70 nights, Ariel and his family are going home! While Ariel was being fitted with prosthetic legs and going to physical therapy, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Connecticut & Western Massachusetts provided his family with all the comforts of home, and a community of care and support. 💙