Ronald McDonald House Charities®

Quick Facts
Ronald McDonald House Charities Australia (RMHCTM) was established by McDonald's in 1985. McDonald's® Australia pays all national administration and management costs for the Charity.

RMHC creates, finds and supports programs that help seriously ill children and their families.

Below are five key facts about each of the five major programs operated by RMHC:
The Ronald McDonald® House Program
A home away from home for families with seriously ill children.
1. There are 13 Ronald McDonald Houses in Australia. Our 13th House opened in Tamworth on September 6, 2008.
2. Most families who stay at a Ronald McDonald House are from the country. Without a Ronald McDonald House they would probably have nowhere to sleep while their child is in hospital.
3. As many as 250 families will be sleeping at a Ronald McDonald House tonight.
4. Some families stay for one night while many others can live at the House for months or even years.
5. This year our Houses will provide a home away from home for over 5,000 families.
Ronald McDonald® Learning Program

An educational catch-up program for seriously ill children who have had lengthy absences from school.
1. The Ronald McDonald Learning Program is the leading educational catch up program in Australia for children recovering from serious illness.
2. The Learning Program prevents children from falling behind in their education, dropping out of school and never reaching their full potential.
3. Children receive a comprehensive assessment and weekly sessions with highly qualified teachers. They also receive speech therapy, occupational therapy or physiotherapy if required.
4. Each year over 500 families are supported by the Learning Program.
5. Since 1998 more than 1500 children have received help to catch up with their education from the Learning Program.

Ronald McDonald® Family Retreats
Free holiday accommodation for families with a seriously ill child.
1. Australia was the first country offering Ronald McDonald Family Retreats.
2. Fiona Lodge in Bateman's Bay, NSW was the world's first Family Retreat, opening in 2002.
3. There are now five Family Retreats in Australia. They are: Fiona Lodge & Forster, NSW; Kessia's Cottage & Ocean Grove, VIC; Bunbury & Jurien Bay, WA, accommodating over 240 families per year.
4. Many families with seriously ill children have not had a holiday since the child became ill. Family Retreats now provide them with a week's free accomodation at a time when they most need it and can least afford it.
5. Often local businesses donate entertainment or restaurant vouchers to families staying at the Family Retreats to help make their time more enjoyable.

Ronald McDonald Family RoomTM Program
A homely retreat within a hospital for families with a seriously ill child.
1. There are three Family Rooms in Australia: Princess Margaret Hospital in Perth, The John Hunter Hospital in NSW and The Canberra Hospital in the ACT.
2. As many as 620 families per month and 7,400 families per year visit the John Hunter Hospital Family Room.
3. RMHC plans to build up to nine more Family Rooms over the next few years.
4. Family Rooms offer facilities such as a kitchen, laundry, lounge room, dining area, sleep room, play areas and computer facilities.
5. Spending time with a sick child in hospital means not being able to return home for days. Our Family Rooms provide a homely retreat for families and help reduce stress.

Cord Blood Banks
Collects and stores life saving umbilical cord blood used maintly to treat childhood cancers.
1. RMHC is the major private funder of public Cord Blood Banks in Australia.
2. There are three public Cord Blood Banks in Australia, located in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The three Banks collect cord blood mainly as an alternative treatment for children suffering from diseases such as leukaemia and other cancers.
3. It costs about $1,500 to collect and bank one cord.
4. Life saving cord blood can be easier to match than bone marrow for children needing a transplant.
5. At the end 2007 the Australian Cord Blood Bank had collected more than 24,500 cord blood units and released over 400 for life saving treatments.

For more information please visit www.rmhc.org.au
or call 1300 307 643 (1300 30 RMHC)