A local hospital has announced the grand opening a family room, the first of its kind at a Health Care Administration facility. As Sascha Cordner reports, the Ronald McDonald Family Room is intended to be “a home away from home” for families who want to be close to their sick kids.
“This is our pediatric unit, and then the family room, so we opened this up again about eight months ago, colorful theme, and so, Welcome to our Pediatric Floor, and Pediatric Family Room.”
Just a few feet away from the pediatric unit, Brian Cook, the CEO of Capital Regional Medical Center is leading a small tour of the new Ronald McDonald Family Room.
It’s a place for parents and families to rest and regroup, while staying near their sick children in the hospital.
The family room is funded by the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tallahassee. Its Executive Director Kathy Anderson says it’s a welcome place of respite for all members of the family.
"It’s just an escape from the hospital room. It’s something that’s normal to them. There’s no needles [laughs] . It’s fun, it’s bright colors, fun toys, and current toys. So, we’re hoping that everybody will have a good time, and then the parents can just go sit and relax and have a cup of coffee or eat some chocolate and just have a little bit of quiet time, and yet they’re on the same floor as their children.”
One parent who is a big fan of the Ronald McDonald House is Jeff Riley, the Director of Cardiovascular Services at Capital Regional Medical Center. He says the convenience of having the family room in the hospital is very significant.
Riley says it wasn’t that long ago when he and his wife had to go to a Ronald McDonald House near Tallahassee Memorial Hospital just to be close to their sick premature baby twins, who were born at 25-weeks, about 3-months earlier than expected.
“Really scary, kind of touch and go, as far as a like life and death situation, and didn’t really have a place to stay. We were from out of town and we didn’t have a place to stay. So, Ronald McDonald House opened up their door and opened up their arms and allowed us to stay there at no cost. We just had to do chores to help keep the house clean and just really provided meals for us. It was all donations. It was probably one of the most nicest charities that I can really think of. So, I’m a real supporter of the Ronald McDonald House and charities.”
A ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the new family room took place at Capital Regional Medical Center Wednesday. Included in the room is a seating area with a television and a playroom filled with toys, video games, and activities.
