聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Since he was a baby, Carter Morrison of Carlyle has stayed in Ronald McDonald Houses in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Saskatoon. The 11-year-old grade six student's decade-long experience with Ronald McDonald House has inspired his mother Lisa to help organize and participate in the first-ever Red Shoe Walk in Estevan on Sept. 13, in an effort to, 鈥淕ive back and to also raise awareness for other families who might benefit from Ronald McDonald House.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Carter says Ronald McDonald House(s) are 鈥淎 fun place to stay because they keep you busy. It's fun.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Morrison family's relationship with Ronald McDonald House began when Carter was a baby.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐arter was born with achondroplasia,鈥� says Lisa. 鈥淚t's a medical condition that comes with complications. Since he was one, he's had close to 20 surgeries and with those surgeries, there are a lot of check-ups-before and after-a lot of admissions, tests and overnight stays.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hen we first found out, we were sent to Saskatoon right away,鈥� she adds. 鈥淥ne of your first thoughts is: 'Where are you going to stay?' when you don't know the city or anyone in the city.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淵ou're basically trying to navigate a new city and a new situation during a really stressful time.聽 Just getting to the hospital from a hotel and figuring out something like parking can be a real burden for families-not just financially, but emotionally, too.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hose little things can really add up and add stress to what's already a pretty stressful situation,鈥� says Lisa. 鈥淩onald McDonald House really alleviates a lot of that (stress) and helps families to focus on their child.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lisa says the family's first stay at Ronald McDonald House came about 鈥淲hen the hospital social worker approached my husband, Trevor. At first we thought, 'No', just because we assumed that Ronald McDonald House wasn't for families in our situation. But now we know what they do for all families with a child undergoing medical treatment and we are so grateful. We want to let other families know about the great work they do.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t really took a load off for us. It was just one less thing we needed to worry about.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hat first time, we were in Saskatoon. I stayed at the hospital with Carter and in-between, Trevor could sleep at Ronald McDonald House, which is really close to the hospital-in fact, you can walk there, which is great-especially in winter. We could head over there for a shower and it's so much more homey than a hotel.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hey met us at the door and made us feel right at home,鈥� adds Lisa. 鈥淎nd as far as they're concerned, family comes in all shapes and sizes and they welcome them all-grandmas, aunts, basically, anyone who wants to be there to support their child in the hospital.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lisa says the Morrison family has experienced Ronald McDonald House's brand of compassionate and caring hospitality in all of the three cities in which Carter has received medical attention. However, she says the expansion of Saskatchewan's only Ronald McDonald House from 13 to 34 rooms is vital, and a cause she is happy to support.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淩onald McDonald House in Saskatoon is the only one in the province,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t really is a 'home away from home' for families with sick kids and the House serves families from all over Saskatchewan. They don't want to turn anyone away, but sometimes, they have to, due to space limitations. The expansion is already helping Ronald MacDonald House serve more families.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 During the past 30 years, Saskatchewan's Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon has served more than 18,000 families. Demand is growing and Lisa says the Red Shoe Walk not only celebrates three decades of help the Saskatoon House has provided to families; the event will also support the expansion of its services to all families whose children receive medical care in Saskatoon.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he fee for a family to stay is only $10 a night,鈥� she says. 鈥淔or low-income families that can't afford that, service clubs like the Lions or the Knights of Columbus will often pay that fee.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he Red Shoe Walk is taking place in towns and cities across Saskatchewan,鈥� she adds. 鈥淚t's in support of a place that's meant for all families who need it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's really like a home. You can cook your own food and everybody gets a shelf in the fridge and a cupboard in the kitchen. There's also a community pantry, fridge and freezer that are stocked, in case you forget something. Volunteers will come in and cook suppers, too, but it's really nice to be able to cook your own meals, especially if you're staying there for a while.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hey're stocked up with things like shampoo and soap, too,鈥� adds Lisa. 鈥淵ou just walk in there and they have you looked after.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he rooms look like a hotel room, and a family's room will have two beds, a bathroom, a TV and dressers. But there are also quiet rooms, a workout room, a library, three computers and work stations and even a play room called 'The Rowdy Room.' It's so much better than kids being cooped up in a hotel room.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here are all kinds of different outlets for people who are staying there, depending on what they feel like. There's even a coffee shop counter with go-cups and, of course, Carter really likes the fresh-baked cookies at the door.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢y favourite thing to do there is to go in the toy room,鈥� adds Carter. 鈥淚 like to play with all the toys they have-and they have a lot.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's designed to meet the needs of kids who need medical attention and their families,鈥� she adds. 鈥淵ou can do your laundry there and basically, anything that can make your stay more home-like is provided. It's not about convenience for its own sake; it's about convenience that lets you be as free as possible to concentrate on your child.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淓ven now, Carter likes to stay overnight there, because in-between tests and things at the hospital; the House is close enough that he can head over there instead of waiting at the hospital for hours between procedures.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lisa says that Ronald McDonald Houses aim to help every family who needs their support. 鈥淭hey don't like to turn anyone away, but sometimes they have to, just because of space limitations. We've been turned away, because they're full. You don't get to book ahead. Instead, you call them the night before and if there's a room available, that's great. They also don't ask anybody to leave.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he Saskatchewan Ronald McDonald House doesn't receive any government funding and relies entirely on community support,鈥� she adds. 鈥淩onald McDonald House charrities (RMHC) are long-term partners to Canadian Ronald McDonald Houses,鈥� says Lisa. 鈥淏ut we still have a significant need to fundraise in our communities, because Saskatchewan's Ronald McDonald House has an operating budget of $1.2 million that they have to meet.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hat's why supporting the expansion is so important to me. Thirty-four rooms serves families throughout the entire province.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 also really want to get the awareness out there for other families. We knew nothing about Ronald McDonald House and what they do until we were in a situation where we received their help.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 really can't do enough for them.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 For more information on Saskatchewan's Ronald McDonald House and the Red Shoe Walk, check out or contact Lisa Morrison at (306)-577-1473.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Esteva's Red Shoe Walk takes place Sunday, Sept. 13 at Affinity Place. Registration is at 1 p.m.
