Perhaps nothing is more traumatic than having a loved one in the hospital with a serious illness. Now, picture it being your child, or grandchild. A Ventura County hospital and two foundations have teamed up to try and provide some comfort to those dealing with that type of situation.
Amy Towner is CEO of the Health Care Foundation for Ventura County, a non-profit foundation which supports the county’s health care efforts. Towner says the idea is to provide a place in the Ventura County Medical Center where families getting pediatric care at the hospital can spend time other than patient rooms, or waiting rooms.
The Ronald McDonald Family Room is repurposing about 2000 square feet of the hospital freed up by its recent expansion to create a family room for those with children undergoing pediatric care. There are play space for siblings, work areas for adults, a kitchen and even a shower area.
The idea has been in the works for several years. Towner says construction started on the $1.2 million dollar facility in July, with the goal to have it done and ready for use by the end of the year.
The non-profit Ronald McDonald House Charities organization is key to the project, because it advanced the money needed to start construction. Ronald McDonald house is the official charity of the McDonald’s fast-food chain. The restaurants collect money to help support the non-profit.
The Health Care Foundation for Ventura County has raised $950,000 towards the $1.2 million dollars to reimburse the Ronald McDonald Foundation for the project.
Towner says the new family room is unique not just for Ventura County, but for Ronald McDonald House. It's the only Ronald McDonald facility of its type in the nation in a public hospital.
The foundation's CEO says the facility is going to help families dealing with issues like pediatric cancer and premature births that require neonatal intensive care unit stays.
You can find out more about the project at :https://bit.ly/33DYTNg
