When Australian children face serious illness, their entire family is impacted and support is never needed more.
For over 40 years, Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) has been providing a home away from home for Australian families in their time of need and thanks to the generous support of local communities and volunteers, today supports more than 40,000 families across the country.
MinRes Principal Advisor CRM Roland Armarego need only look at his son Laurence to be reminded of the profound impact RMHC has on the families of children in hospital.
In 1989, Laurence was born with a congenital anomaly and at just three days old underwent the first of what would be several major surgeries to save his life.
At age three, Laurance and the Armarego family travelled from Perth to Melbourne for specialist surgery to aid his long-term recovery.
With no family or friends close to the hospital, the family turned to Ronald McDonald House for a comfortable place to stay while Laurence underwent treatment at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
For Roland and his wife Janet, the support from Ronald McDonald House made all the difference during some very challenging weeks.
“Staying at Ronald McDonald House took a huge stress off us because we had great accommodation that was right near the hospital and Laurence,” Janet said.
“It provided us with a welcoming home-away-from-home experience where we could connect with other families who were also going through very stressful times. It was also great that Laurence could recover in a home environment yet still be very close to medical care at the hospital.”
After a successful surgery in Melbourne, Laurence and his family returned to Perth forever grateful for the support they received.
“The experience we had is something we’ll never forget. Being so far from home, we were welcomed into a safe environment and cared for during a challenging period of our lives. We’re still so grateful for the support we received,” Roland said.
“In a way, we feel privileged to have had the opportunity to see and understand the fantastic work that RMHC does.”
Now in his 30s, Laurence is the General Manager of a local finance company, an accomplished musician and living life to the fullest.
MinRes’ proud long-term partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities Western Australia (RMHC WA) helps provide a home away from home for families while sick children receive medical treatment in Perth.
For almost eight years, MinRes has employed two chefs who prepare nightly dinners for families staying in the Nedlands House and Perth Children’s Hospital House. Chefs Tommy and Zi also support the Home for Dinner volunteering program, which invites groups from the community to help prepare the evening meal.
MinRes also sponsors a room at the Nedlands House, so WA families can stay together when they need it most.
Learn more about RMHC WA at rmhc.org.au.
