SingaporeMotherhood | Parenting

February 2013

Open House for Parents of Sick Kids at NUH

The first ‘home-away-from-home’ for families with sick children opens in Singapore.

A new Ronald McDonald House (RMH) was opened last month at the National University Hospital (NUH). The is a “free overnight respite facility” specially for parents of sick children who are warded at in the Paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) at NUH, which is located just steps away.
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Named RMH@NUH, the 24/7 facility can house up to four families or a total of eight people at a time. Families expected to stay are primarily those with a child in intensive care, with cancer, trauma or undergoing organ transplants.

RMH@NUH room
Two immediate adult family members or one adult family member and one child are allowed in each bedroom at RMH and all children need to be supervised by immediate family members at all times.

Says Associate Professor Daniel Goh, Head of the Paediatric Cluster at NUH, “Love and support of the family is as powerful as the strongest medicine prescribed and this is especially important when a child is sick. What we are hoping to achieve with this facility is to reduce the burden on the parents so that they can focus on caring for their child. Helping a child to heal faster goes beyond meeting the medical needs, we want to play a bigger role by taking care of their emotional needs too. This is why we are really excited about this House and believe it will go a long way in enabling us to be there for our patients.”

RMH@NUH_living room

RMH@NUH is established by RMHC worldwide. RMHC Singapore organises activities to raise funds. Donations also come through the RMHC donation boxes at McDonald’s restaurants, and through the sale of McDonald’s Happy Meals where five cents from each Happy Meal sold goes to the charity. Since its founding in Singapore in 1989, it has helped more than 900 needy children with their medical, rehabilitative and surgical treatments costing more than $5 million in grants.

RMH@NUH is looking for volunteers to help manage the new facility 24/7. Those keen to help or to donate to its cause can email [email protected] or call 6778 1934.

Photos: Ronald McDonald House Charities Singapore

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Open House for Parents of Sick Kids at NUH