Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) India, the CSR arm of McDonald’s, marked its 6th year of existence in India. The occasion celebrated RMHC India’s commitment to supporting families with terminally ill children while also reaffirming its pledge to assist many more families in the future. Hundreds of kids participated in enjoyable games and other leisure activities to commemorate the anniversary. Since its founding in 2016, the charity has been working towards making the difficult journey easierforparents and their sick children undergoing cancer treatment throughRonald McDonald Family Room (RMFR).

Situated in the Outpatient Department of the PaediatricHaematology – Oncology of Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, the RMFR provides comfort and care to these families, when they need the most. RMHC India has touched the lives of over 35,000 families since its inception. Most of the children and their families that frequent the RMHC Family Room, come from remote, rural locations in India owing to the lack of healthcare facilities in their hometowns.

To help the kids cope better in a hospital environment, the Family Room offers a bright and happy space that lets children be children and do things they would love to do like playing with toys and reading books besides drawing strength from each other’s company. It provides a comfortable waiting area wherein families await their turn to meet the doctors and offers various facilities like a child-friendly play corner and refreshments area for these families.The facility also supports families with the right counseling, a place to rest and regroup,along with 19 recliner beds for children undergoing treatment.RMHC India is looking to increase the number of beds in the months to come to enable more children to rest comfortably during their treatment.