Today, Saturday 13 November, Ronald McDonald House Charities is marking 30 years of McHappy Day, which raises funds to support seriously ill children and their families.
The 18 Ronald McDonald Houses across the country provide free accommodation and support for more than 60,000 families every year – including local mum, Sally, and her family.
Sally’s son Neo was eight years old when he was diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and had to be emergency transported from the ACT.
The swelling on his brain and spinal cord appeared as flu-like symptoms that rapidly deteriorated within a day.
The family lived three hours away from the necessary facilities at the time.
“At first, they organised a helicopter, then a plane. It was June in Canberra, and the heavy fog that night meant he had to be put in an induced coma and taken in an ambulance to Sydney,” Sally recalled.
“We weren’t sure if he would make it. We weren’t able to go in the ambulance with him. I remember, as he was about to go in the ambulance, saying ‘Where are you taking him?’
“They wrote on a post-it note that they were taking him to Sydney Children’s Hospital, so we began that awful three-hour drive, not knowing where we were going, or what we were going to find when we got there.”
There was a single chair in Neo’s hospital room, which was packed with medical equipment and 24-hour nurse attendance.
“As a parent, you will sleep on that chair for a week, but what that does to you physically and mentally is not conducive to living through the trauma,” Sally said.
“The Ronald McDonald family room at the hospital looked homey, with a kitchen, a washer and dryer. After the first 24 sleepless hours, it was a godsend.”
A room was organised for the family at Ronald McDonald House Randwick while Neo was treated. They stayed for a total of 37 days.
During her stay, Sally was surprised to find little things to look forward to, like the sponsored dinners that took place a few nights a week. “In situations like that, you do need someone to remind you to eat and sleep.”
As the Ronald McDonald House was on the hospital campus, Sally was able to visit Neo at all hours of the night. “If I couldn’t sleep and needed to see him, I could just chuck my jacket on and see him within five minutes, even at 2am.”
Now Neo is 12 years old and has been seizure-free for a year. Every McHappy Day, Sally is reminded of the feelings of that initial stay.
Her advice for other parents in her situation is to not be afraid to accept help.
“It takes a village to look after a seriously ill child. I count Ronald McDonald House as part of that village. You need to maintain your health in traumatic times to be strong enough for your child.”
Learn more about McHappy Day at rmhc.org.au
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