Hannah’s Story
Already the proud parents of three rambunctious boys, Kate and John were excited for the arrival of their baby girl, Hannah. When Kate’s waters broke at 22 weeks gestation, and nine weeks of hospital bed rest followed, they knew the pregnancy would not be smooth sailing.
Hannah was born prematurely via emergency caesarean and needed vital medical care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at John Hunter Children’s Hospital. Such a difficult and stressful time was made a little easier by having the support of the Ronald McDonald Family Room within the hospital. The whole family could be together and share some special moments, while staying close to Hannah. Simply being able to have a chat or watch some TV with her boys would brighten Kate’s day.
“The Family Room was a place where we could catch our breath. It felt like home amongst all of the chaos.”
Family Room volunteers were also there to lend a hand.
“The volunteers were so thoughtful and caring, and they would often listen to our story or ask us how our baby was going,” said Kate.
Kate and John value the friendships they formed with other parents who also had sick babies in hospital.
“We were all riding a similar rollercoaster, and it was a journey a lot of people wouldn’t understand,” says Kate. “We have built lifelong friendships with families we met in the Family Room.”
Each year Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern NSW provides support to more than 6,000 families from across NSW, helping achieve the best outcomes for families by reducing the impact of their child’s illness.
COVID-19 has had a significant impact, restricting our ability to raise the vital funds needed to help keep families close together. From now until 17 August, join our first ever Raise Love-a-thon and help us provide a home away from home for families in need.