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Will there be fries with that charity?
Last week I was all about the size of our waists. This week I’m all about supporting McDonalds. I’m not suggesting you run out and supersize yourself. Far from it. And if you know me, and some of you truly believe you do, you know I would never blame a fun-food/fast-food establishment for the shape I’m in. And you shouldn’t blame them for the shape you’re in, either. Fast and fun food is not the “bad” in your life. A poor lifestyle choice is the “bad” in your life. You are your own intake management system. Every type of food and treat has a place in a balanced lifestyle. Nope. I am all about the goodness of The Ronald McDonald Charities. All about it. Here’s the story I’m sticking to, right now.
One week ago, our youngest kid was in labour and was rushed from Brandon to Winnipeg in an ambulance. Within a matter of hours our newest grandson—and their first child—was born at the Winnipeg Women’s Health Centre. The little fellow arrived two and a half months ahead of schedule. A tiny, not-unexpected, bundle of joy. Clocking in at almost four pounds, he was not the tiniest baby at the WWHC. Now he’s in the St. Boniface Hospital NICU. The problem with living in a rural part of anywhere, is medical facilities can’t always handle emergencies such as premature births. In this case, Mom and Dad were now in a city, Winnipeg, almost three hours from their home and they needed a place to put their heads down at night. A place that is clean and secure and homey. Our daughter’s partner spent one night on the chair in her room, and (after her discharge) they spent one night in a hotel room, then two nights in an emergency Private Married Quarters at 17 Wing on the Winnipeg CFB. And then? Well, and then a space became available for our daughter and her partner at the Ronald McDonald House of Winnipeg. If you haven’t experienced a medical emergency with a child, which puts you in a place far from home, you can’t imagine adding one more stressor to your day. The stress was palpable from Winnipeg to Picton. We couldn’t do anything to make it all better for them except to do some research about emergency accommodations. Talk about learning new things every day. It wasn’t enough we didn’t understand having a premature child, now we were learning how difficult it is to find a place to stay when you’re in a bind and far away from home. Thank goodness for Ronald McDonald Charities.
“Did you know that 70 per cent of Canadian families live outside a city with a children’s hospital? So when a child gets sick, they often have to travel hours to get treatment. Our 15 Ronald McDonald Houses across Canada give families a place to stay close to the hospital where their child is being treated. 16 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms located in hospitals across the country give families a place to rest and relax just steps from their child’s bedside. Ronald McDonald Houses provide families of sick children with a home to stay at while their child is being treated at a nearby hospital. Ronald McDonald Family Rooms also provide a comfortable place for families to rest and recharge, right inside hospitals. And through Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles, we help to bring basic medical care to vulnerable communities. So families can stay together and kids can heal better.” RMH’s Canadian website.
Who knew? I certainly didn’t expect to wake up on a Sunday morning to a family crisis. This kind of stuff happens to other people’s families. Yet here we are, one week from that crazy ambulance ride and safe delivery of our tiniest grandchild, wondering what the heck happened. This organization was created to help children with medical emergencies, serious illnesses and disabilities. They are dedicated to helping families stay together during a medical crisis. Not only do the RMHCs offer the houses, they also provide family rooms at hospitals and provide support to other children’s charities across Canada. LOML and I are eternally grateful for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Canada® and will now become regular donors to keep those houses, those family rooms and that support strong for other families in need. And, like I said, it doesn’t hurt to have a fast-food treat, now and then.
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