2019 Annual Report B • LETTER FROM
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is where the Heart is 2019 Annual Report B • LETTER FROM FROM LETTER • Friends– Each year, as our North Carolina Ronald McDonald Houses continue to grow, I like to reground myself on the mission we strive for every day. That is to help keep fami- lies with sick or injured children close to each other while they heal. It’s to provide a If home truly is home away from home where families can find solace, support and love. where the heart is, then as long as But what is a home? It has been said that, “Home is where the heart is.” we are together, If that’s true, then maybe home is in the hospital where a mother holds her child’s home can be all The President hand. Home is in the walk across the street to the Ronald McDonald House where around us. parents rest and recoup. And home may even be in the cards and donations given by thoughtful communities in support of so many families. 1 • The Frozen princesses If home truly is where the heart is, then as long as we are together, home can be all around us. got to meet Ronald McDonald House of We are proud of the work that has been done to support children and families across the state. And we are so • Winston-Salem’s Princess Aaliyah at the 10th thankful to our supporters, volunteers and staff for the commitment to serving so selflessly year after year. Annual Character Breakfast! We look forward to continuing to share stories of hope, love and home. 2 • Attendees of the Ronald McDonald House Warmest regards, of Charlotte’s 5th Annual Storybook Ball followed the Fred Huebner white rabbit to Wonderland! The President, RMHC of NC Board of Directors Ball featured dinner, dancing and a moving presentation from the Murray family, who called our House their home for five months. The Storybook Ball raised more than $118,000. 4 • The Ronald McDonald Houses 6 • Ronald McDonald House Family Rooms 3 • The Ronald McDonald House of Chapel page page Hill hosted approximately 40 volunteers from Google and Google Fiber offices across North 7 • Better Together 8 • Family Stories 10 • RMHC of NC Grants Carolina. The team deep-cleaned rooms, set page page page up brand new gaming equipment, stained our 12 • Making Strides 14 • Facts & Figures 15 • Our Family Tree outdoor stage/hobbit house and baked treats page page page for families. 2 3 • Ronald McDonald House of Ronald McDonald House at Ronald McDonald House of Ronald McDonald House of Ronald McDonald House of Ronald McDonald House of Ronald McDonald House at Houses Eastern Vidant Winston- Charlotte Chapel Hill Durham WakeMed North Carolina Medical Center Salem The Ronald McDonald The Ronald McDonald The Ronald McDonald The Ronald McDonald The Ronald McDonald House The Ronald McDonald The Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte House of Chapel Hill House of Durham, situated House at WakeMed is of Eastern North Carolina in House inside the James and House of Winston-Salem continues to provide a home continues to provide a on the campus of Duke located within the Greenville continues to Connie Maynard Children’s supports families from • RONALD MCDONALD away from home to families refuge to families whose University, serves families WakeMed Children’s welcome families with children Hospital at Vidant Medical across the state and around with children being treated children are being treated at whose children are under- Hospital Heart Center Inn. being treated at nearby James Center is equipped with six the globe with 35 at nearby healthcare area healthcare facilities, going treatment at Duke It features five bedrooms and Connie Maynard Children’s rooms available for families bedrooms. It’s located facilities, including Levine including North Carolina Children’s Hospital and for families whose children Hospital inside Vidant with children who are in a near Brenner Children’s Children’s Hospital at Children’s Hospital. The other area hospitals that are receiving around-the- Medical Center, which critical state, experiencing Hospital at Wake Forest Carolinas Medical Center hospital not only has a specialize in premature clock care for various specializes in neonatal care. trauma, need emergency Baptist Health and Forsyth and Novant Health Hemby Newborn Critical Care births, orthopedics, heart medical situations. The The House has 25 bedrooms, surgery or for families Medical Center, both of Children’s Hospital. Both Center, but specializes in issues, neurology and House is operated by the with three of those who’ve just welcomed a which specialize in neonatal hospitals, specializing in the pediatric intensive care, trauma. The House Ronald McDonald House accommodating immune- micro-preemie. The House care. The House has been treatment of heart issues, psychiatry, general pediat- currently has 55 bedrooms of Durham. suppressed children. The is operated by the Ronald in partnership with these childhood cancers and rics and childhood cancer to accommodate those construction to expand the McDonald House of Eastern local hospitals since 1984. pre-mature births, have and hematology. The House families in need. House by 10,000 square feet North Carolina. been in partnership with the can accommodate up to continued throughout the year, House since 2011. Today, the 53 families including the creating 4 new bedrooms, House is equipped with 28 extended campus with 8 a new kitchen, play area, bedrooms and a lot of love. two-bedroom apartments and dining room. and 16 single family rooms. 4 5 • BETTER BETTER • Over the course of one year, our North Carolina Ronald McDonald Houses Durham: have made a huge impact in the lives of thousands of families in need. Ronald McDonald Family Room at Duke Hospital ROOMS • 22,111 visitors in 2019 Together Fa mily • • Chapel Hill: Ronald McDonald Family Room at North Carolina Children’s Hospital 207 4,024 51,330 27,409 284 nights Bedrooms Families Family Night Volunteers Longest Stay 2,538 visitors in 2019 Served Stays Number of NC Number of Number of foreign Raleigh: counties served 100 states served 33 countries served 9 Ronald McDonald Family Room at WakeMed Children’s Hospital Most Common • RONALD MCDONALD 7,125 visitors in 2019 Health Issues: Winston-Salem: Newborn Critical Care Ronald McDonald Family Room at the Maya Angelou Women’s Health & Wellness Center at Forsyth Medical Center and the Ronald McDonald Family Room at the Brenner Children’s Hospital Heart Issues at Wake Forest Baptist Health Top 5 NC Counties: Robeson (212 families served) • Cumberland 17,943 visitors in 2019 (180 families served) • Guilford (118 families served) Oncology Onslow (108 families served) • Wayne (102 families served) 6 7 • The Badore Family Alejandra Tia RONALD McDONALD HOUSE RONALD McDONALD HOUSE RONALD McDONALD HOUSE The Jones family found OF CHAPEL HILL OF DURHAM & WAKE Close OF EASTERN NC all they needed at the Ronald McDonald House of Winston-Salem: a comfortable bed, a hot meal and essentials they never had a chance to pack. The Badore twins were born on June 22, 2019, at The Cruz family has been a huge part of the Tia Floyd was diagnosed as an infant with 29 weeks. After spending 4 days at James and Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill family Pediatric Dilated Cardiomyopathy and her family Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at Vidant for two years now. Alejandra Cruz was born on knew she would eventually require a heart Medical Center, their parents checked into the April 4, 2018 at 26 weeks. It was not long after transplant. That need became urgent in Ronald McDonald House of Eastern NC with the birth that her family came to RMH from November when she went into cardiac arrest their two year old daughter, Laura, as their twins Spring Lake and became loved by all. during an outpatient procedure and was • KEEPING FAMILIES KEEPING FAMILIES • spent time in the neonatal intensive care transferred to the Duke Hospital Intensive unit (NICU). The Badore family loved the During the 177 days that Alejandra was in the Care Unit. convenience and amenities of the House, hospital, the Cruz family found comfort while but their favorite part was the activity nights. staying at the House. Food, shelter and the The Floyd family stayed at the Ronald McDonald support of other families going through similar House of Durham and Wake while waiting for After 115 days spent in the hospital, 11 collective circumstances meant everything. The Cruz good news. On May 5, just a few days before surgeries and procedures and 111 days spent family made strong connections with the staff Mother’s Day, the family received news that a at the RMHENC, the Badore Family celebrated and families at the House, and still stay in touch. heart was found for Tia. After a four-hour going home in October! “We became a family. The bond we have with surgery, Tia and her parents were able to them, that is something you can’t break.” begin the process of healing. Jayla & Jaylea RONALD McDONALD HOUSE OF WINSTON-SALEM Carolina • RONALD McDONALD HOUSE OF CHARLOTTE During a routine prenatal appointment, Jocelyn and Linwood Jones never dreamed they wouldn’t be going home that day. Their doctor In early December 2019, after traveling from Honduras, Carolina and her mother arrived in Charlotte for critical spinal discovered Twin-to-Twin transfusion where the blood supply for one surgery - a surgery that would not only save her ability to walk, but also allow her to remain independent and pain free. twin was greatly compromised. The couple had twins Jayla and Jaylea The surgery required several weeks of follow up appointments, and Carolina and her mother were referred to the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte.