Ronald McDonald House Opens Family Room At HSN

By: Nick Liard

Staff from NEO Kids at Health Sciences North say it’s proven that a child’s length of stay in hospital is shorter and health outcomes are better when their families are involved.

HSN officially opened their new Family Room from Ronald McDonald House Charities Toronto, steps away from NEO Kids to provide a home away from home for families.

Medical Director of Pediatrics at HSN, Dr. Sean Murray says there was a clear need for this type of service.

Murray says it was a shock becasue RMHC Toronto approached them about the idea, and that proves the pointy of a need.

CEO of the Ronald McDonald House Toronto, Sally Ginter says this was an important expansion for them.

She says out of over 760 families who stayed at their house in Toronto last year, 164 were from the Northeast.

Ginter says they held a soft opening in December and since then over 90 families have used the room.

There was a soft opening of the family room beginning in December, and since then over 90 families have used the service.

The Family Room is staffed from 9am to 9pm by RMHC Toronto volunteers, all from the Sudbury area, with recliners available to families 24 hours a day.