Well - Summer 2014 - (Page 6)

Hope Making Room for at the Ronald McDonald House A local charity that serves seriously ill children and their families gets a much-needed expansion. W hen a child becomes seriously ill, it can be difficult to feel normal or find a place to take a quiet moment to recharge. Days or weeks at the hospital can leave family members physically and emotionally drained. Many families who travel from all over the state and country for the expert care at N.C. Children's Hospital can find support at the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) of Chapel Hill. The RMH not only provides a place to stay for families with seriously ill children but is designed to create a community of support among volunteers and other families facing similar difficulties. "Sometimes it's important to step out of the hospital environment," says Shelley Day, executive director of the RMH of Chapel Hill. "We've worked hard here to build a sense of sanctuary." dining area and a fully stocked pantry. Local volunteer groups and businesses provide home-cooked meals every evening and breakfast on the weekends. Since opening in 1988, the RMH has served more than 36,000 families from all 100 North Carolina counties, 39 other states and 21 countries. About 99 percent of the families that stay at the RMH are in Chapel Hill to be treated at N.C. Children's Hospital, which is located just over a mile from the House. Though the RMH of Chapel Hill works hard to accommodate as many families as possible, it has to turn away as many as 800 families a year. "Our challenge is keeping up with growth at UNC," says Day. "Every time a program grows or a specialty is added, we get more people." UNC Hospitals opened the N.C. Cancer Hospital in 2009 and expanded its Newborn Critical Care Center in 2011. A Home Away from Home A New Addition Currently, the RMH serves 2,200 families a year in a 20,000-square-foot facility that offers 29 hotel-style guest rooms, each with a private bathroom, as well as a kitchen, a 6 Summer 2014 Well To meet the ever-growing need for their services, the RMH has started the Make Room for Hope project, an ambitious expansion that will double its square footage and add 24 new

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Well - Summer 2014

Well - Summer 2014
Contents
UNC Health Care News
New Patient Portal Provides More Features
Making Room for Hope at the Ronald McDonald House
Room to Breathe
Nutrition
Calendar

Well - Summer 2014