Ronald McDonald charity sets up first family room in northern Ontario

You've heard of Ronald McDonald House, but unless you've had a sick child you may not be familiar with the charity's family rooms.

One of those special areas will be created at Health Sciences North inSudbury, becoming the first of its kind in northern Ontario.

Faye Roberts, manager of Family Rooms for Ronald McDonald House CharitiesToronto,expects the spaceto be well used by those families who have children undergoing medical care at HSN.

"Health Sciences North providesa very sizeable neonatal intensive care unit and avery busy pediatrics department," she said, addingthe Sudbury hospital is ahub for other medical facilitiesin the north.

"It wasjust a very logical choice to take a look at Health Sciences North. We have a number of [northern] families that come to Sick Kids [Hospital] downtown," Roberts said.

When a hospital has a family room, it provides parents and siblings a needed place of respite, she noted.

A place to 'laugh outloud or shed a tear'

Roberts says normalwaiting areas in hospitalsdon't provideprivacy or the same sense of peace as aRonald McDonald House Charitiesfamily room.

"It'sa quiet place where parents can laugh out loud or shed a tear; just this safe space where they can spend five minutes and get a sense of normalcy."

The new family room in Sudbury will be in the centre of the pediatrics and neonatal intensive careunit at the hospital.

Hospital public relationsofficerDan Lessard says HSNis excited for the family room and what it will mean for both pediatric patients and their families.

He saysthe stress of having a sick child can sometimes get to parents.

"They get that little bit of a reprieve while they're on hospital property. That's going to mean a lot for the kids, because their families are going to be close to them. And it's certainly going to mean a lot for the families knowing that they can stay right there."

TheRMHC family room at HSNwill have a lounge, a kitchenette and two rest/respite areas. Roberts saysit will be a communal space for a number of families whose children are receiving medical care in the pediatrics department. She says itshould be ready toopen this December.

December opening

Lessard says the only similar space on site at HSN is in the birthing area, where loved ones of a labouring mom can get a bit of rest. He sayssimilar family rooms existat the House of Kin or in local hotels, but the RMHC family roomwill be the first one right at the hospital.

The newfamily room will have a local coordinator, however Roberts says it will need about 70 volunteers to help run the space on a weekly basis.

RMHCis looking for interestedvolunteers.Roberts says a medical or child care background is not necessary. She says all potential volunteers will be interviewed and must provide a police check.

RMHC Toronto has six other locations and the Sudbury site will be its seventh.