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Family members of up to 53 hospitalized children will soon benefit every day as Ronald McDonald House® Central and Northern Arizona opens the first Ronald McDonald House Family Room in the Valley at Banner Children’s at Thunderbird on Monday, March 2.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: From left to right are: Zoe Coleman, director of Women and Infant Services at Banner Thunderbird; Scott Harris, vice chair of the Ronald McDonald House Central and Northern Arizona Board of Directors; Roger Greaves of the Erika and Roger Greaves Youth Angels; Kerry Schulman, president and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Central and Northern Arizona; Jennifer Toerpe, chief nursing officer at Banner Thunderbird; Nikki Hardin, director of pediatrics and the pediatric intensive care until at Banner Children’s at Thunderbird; and Anthony DiBella, interim chief executive officer of Banner Children’s at Thunderbird. Photo courtesy of Banner Health.
Designed as a peaceful place for families to find comfort and support as they stay close to their hospitalized child, the majority of construction costs for the Family Room were offset by a generous $200,000 contribution from Erika and Roger Greaves, Youth Angels.
Located inside the medical center at 5555 W. Thunderbird Road in Glendale, the new 710-square-foot Ronald McDonald Family Room will be reserved for families whose children are receiving care in the 36-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and 17-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).
Photo courtesy of Banner Health
Just steps from intensive care facilities, the Family Room features a welcoming reception area, a lounge, a kitchenette with coffee and snacks, wi-fi, laundry amenities and a private lactation room. The space also includes two napping bays designed for rest and renewal – with massage chairs, noise-canceling headphones and a calm, non-clinical environment where parents and caregivers can recharge during long hospital days.
Photo courtesy of Banner Health
“When a child is receiving critical care, proximity matters,” said Kerry Schulman, President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Central and Northern Arizona. “This Ronald McDonald House Family Room is about providing families a place to pause, take a deep breath and decompress without ever having to leave the hospital.”
The Family Room layout was designed by Interiors In Design, with architectural support from HKS and construction completed by Kitchell, at a total cost of $375,000.
“Care at our hospital doesn’t just mean doctors and nurses helping patients get better — it also extends to family members and their well-being,” said Anthony DiBella, interim chief executive officer of Banner Children’s at Thunderbird. “This Family Room will provide a welcome source of rest and support for parents who are often exhausted while their children are in the hospital. We are proud to be the first hospital in the Valley to offer a Ronald McDonald House Family Room.”
The Ronald McDonald House Family Room will initially be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a long-term goal of expanding hours as volunteer shifts are filled.
Photo courtesy of Banner Health
Volunteers are essential to operating the Family Room and will play a key role in welcoming families, providing assistance and helping maintain the space throughout the day.
“The board and staff at Ronald McDonald House Central and Northern Arizona are grateful to the leadership team at Banner Health for their partnership and commitment to allocating space for the new Family Room,” Schulman said. “Families will benefit from this model for many years to come.”
Community members interested in volunteering can contact Jen Donelly at jdonnelly@ronaldmcdonaldhousecnaz.org to learn more.
For more information about Ronald McDonald House Central and Northern Arizona, visit ronaldmcdonaldhousecnaz.org.
About Ronald McDonald House Central and Northern Arizona
Ronald McDonald House® Central and Northern Arizona provides essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families and promote healing when children need healthcare. The nonprofit organization operates three Houses in the greater Phoenix area that can accommodate a combined 72 families every night of the year: Roanoke House, Cambridge House and Dobson House. Families stay for days, weeks and sometimes months at a time, at no charge, while their children receive life-saving care at local hospitals and medical facilities. Since opening its doors in 1985, families from across the state, throughout the U.S. and around the world have checked in more than 63,000 times.
About Banner Thunderbird Medical Center
Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, Arizona, specializes in heart care, surgical services, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency and trauma care, behavioral health, cancer care, rehabilitation and pediatrics, including the West Valley’s only pediatric intensive care unit, pediatric Emergency department and Level III neonatal intensive care unit. Banner Thunderbird also operates a Level I Trauma Center for patients ages 15 and older. The hospital is part of Banner Health, a nonprofit health system with 32 hospitals in six states. For more information, please visit bannerhealth.com/thunderbird.
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