MILWAUKEE — The Ronald McDonald House provides lodging for families of children receiving critical medical care. It’s a home away from home for those who must travel to partnering hospitals to get their child the care needed.
At TMJ4’s “Let’s Talk Wauwatosa," I met Melissa Marney, the Director of Marketing and Communications for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin. On learning about their mission, and realizing that my friend and colleague, Katie Embertson, stayed there as a child, I knew that this was a story that I wanted to share with you.
WATCH: Ronald McDonald House is a special place for some at TMJ4
The original Ronald McDonald House was founded 50 years ago in Philadelphia. The Eastern Wisconsin house celebrated its 40th anniversary last year.
“The needs of our families differ based on their medical needs. A typical stay is one to three days coming in for appointments, but we do have many families who stay for 60 days or longer. We have had families who have stayed for over 400 nights. So, you can imagine when their child needs care, they're going to stay as long as they need,” said Marney.
In the past 41 years, the Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Wisconsin has had three expansions, increasing the number of guest rooms from 25 to 84. There are 9 kitchens, laundry facilities, a fitness room, a game room and lots of little extra areas to keep the little ones entertained.
The Embertson's, Klaven and Michelle referred to the Ronald McDonald House as “a Godsend," Klaven said, “At that point in our life, we didn't have a lot of means, everything was going on at once. All this information has been thrown at us. And then on top of that, worrying about how do I pay for a place to stay? Michelle added, “They were here for us for doctor's visits. Because getting up at 4:00 in the morning and traveling with a four-year-old and a 2-year-old, is just not a great thing. So, we would be able to come the night before for her surgery. We were so thankful to be here during that time.”
Katie remembers her time at the Ronald McDonald House as fun.
“I didn't know that they were stressed out. I didn't know any of that because I was here," she said. "If I wasn't, I'm sure I would have felt it more. And I think that obviously helped the situation a lot, just being able to be stress-free myself going through what I was going through, not knowing anything as a young child. All I knew was I was coming here to have fun.”
It’d been 20 years since the Embertson’s stayed at the Ronald McDonald House and though they stayed through a tumultuous time, they were happy to be back and to witness the growth of a place that meant so much to them.
None of the support the Embertson family received would have been possible without the support of a generous community and the more than 425 volunteers and staff who help make the Ronald McDonald House a home. Marney added, “We're here to provide peace of mind, a place of community. We're here to make sure that self-care is front and center for children and parents alike. People are always wondering what they can do to help, whether they've been in a similar family situation themselves, or whether they're thankful that they've never had to endure something like this. There are volunteer opportunities, whether it's a regular shift here or a one-time volunteer. We also recommend a $20 per night donation for families to pay it forward, but of course, they're not always able to do that and no one's ever turned away.”
One of the founding members was a Ronald McDonald restaurant owner, and to this day, when you buy a Shamrock shake during those promotions, or a Happy Meal, and when you round up at the window, when asked, a portion of those proceeds go to support The Ronald McDonald House.
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