We often refer to our Houses as a home away from home and we hope that everyone can understand the meaning of it. But I don?t think this meaning hits you as hard as when you step inside a House, you meet a family, you sit down with them, listen to their story and understand how much this home away from home means to them.
I visited three of our Houses recently to film ?behind the scenes? and get a better understanding of what really goes on inside a Ronald McDonald House.
At 8am on a Wednesday hot waffles were being served in the Birmingham House. Families, some timid and visibly worried, some keeping a brave face while entertaining their other siblings, they all came together for this brief early hour -? to greet each other, smile?and forget. And when I say ?forget? I always say it with fear of it being misunderstood, as what it actually means is switching off, enjoying, allowing themselves some happiness and guilt-free ?me time?. As many doctors and nurses always advise, these breaks are of an incredible importance for parents, as they need to think about their wellbeing too and?remain?strong for their little ones.
Every family I talked to in the House had a special story. No matter how many times I hear similar stories, I never feel less compassion for these families.?Because there is nothing more unfair in this world than a child being ill?
From Birmingham we then travelled to Manchester, another 60 bedroom House to continue filming.
The atmosphere here was different. There weren?t many families around? they were all on the Hospital wards, looking after their little ones. We did get permission to visit the PICU (Paediatric Intensive Care Unit) which was a surreal experience. Tiny humans surrounded by monitors, machines, tubes, people and noise. It was hard for us, as visitors, to take it all in and that, once again, put things into perspective. Being a parent and seeing your baby in such an environment is a scary if not traumatic experience, especially during the first few days.
The House is an escape. It?s quiet, it?s comfortable, it?s private. It is everything you need it to be.
Every week at the Manchester House, volunteers bring treats to the House for Tea and Treats Thursday. Some days it?s full of families, others it?s quiet. And everyone dreads the quiet days as they usually mean babies are not well.
Finally, we travelled back to London and went to visit our Camberwell House. Newly relocated, this is a lovely 24-bedroom terraced House, serving one of the busiest hospitals in London ? King?s College Hospital. Ground-breaking surgeries and techniques have been performed at this hospital.
On the day, a past family was visiting and I got to meet them finally after many email exchanges. It?s always good to put a face to the name. Here I am with Callum, who is now two and a half, his mum Faye and Deputy House Manager Una.
Callum loves books, as when he was in hospital, he was so unwell that he couldn?t actually play or interact with other kids, so mum and dad would show him books all the time, read to him and keep him entertained. He?s also a big fan of Mickey Mouse and knows all his friends? names too. He is smart and so sweet and you wouldn?t know he was in hospital for 231 days and many times almost lost his life due to CDH, a condition he was born with.
Callum with mum, Faye, and dad, Carl
Also at the House we were introduced to a young Indian mum, Deep ? full of energy, dressed in a beautiful saari and wanting to do whatever she could to help us with our video.
Deep in her saari
Her genuine gratitude and heart-warming smile were such a blessing in the House. She brightened everyone?s day, and showed us pictures of her little boy ? born at only 26 weeks ? but who was now doing very well.
She later offered to cook us some deliciously spicy vegetable chapatis and hugged us all to thank us when we left! We wanted to thank HER, for giving us a glimpse of the wonderful people that make our Houses homes.
Deep making chapatis
Because what I then realised is that the soul of a Ronald McDonald House means people. People that help people, people that share happiness and smiles unconditionally.
The Wilkinson family at the Birmingham House
Source: http://www.rmhc.org.uk/blog/?p=1093
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