Mumbai, September 20, 2019: Ronald McDonald House Charities India, an independent non-profit organisation that launched its India Chapter three years back, has achieved a significant milestone of reaching out to more than 35,000 families through its Family Room. The first RMHC India Family Room is located in the pediatric oncology department of Bai Jerabai Wadia Hospital in Mumbai, and provides families of children undergoing cancer treatment in the hospital a place to rest and refresh. RMHC India Chapter is supported by Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt. Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Westlife Development Limited and the Master Franchisee for McDonald’s in West and South India.
The Family Room at the Wadia Hospital is a bright and happy space equipped with dozen of toys, board games, books and a television. A host of NGOs also conduct activities such as art-based therapy sessions which help parents and children deal with the stress of the treatment. RMHC is committed to creating programs that strengthen families during difficult times.
Commenting on the milestone, Smita Jatia, Chairperson, Ronald Mcdonald House Charities India, said, “We are truly overwhelmed by the response we have got for our Family Room. The various testimonies from the parents and the growing number of families from across the country who come to our facility stand a strong testimony to the great value our Family Room adds to the families. We remain committed to expanding our programs and reach to be able to improve the health and wellbeing of children.”
Globally, since 1974, Ronald McDonald House Charities has created programmes that strengthen families during difficult times. RMHC provides vital resources and compassionate care to children and their families being served by leading hospitals worldwide. Core RMHC programmes — Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room, and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile programmes — provide access to healthcare and enable family-centered care.
At the cornerstone of this mission is the Ronald McDonald House programme which helps to keep families together by providing a home away from home where they can rest and refresh, so they can be by their children’s side to help them heal. Westlife Development aims to launch the first RMHC House in India by 2020 and further expand RMHC family room to other hospitals across West and South India.