The new space will provide respite areas directly inside the hospital to ensure that families in need can take care of themselves while remaining close to their hospitalized children.
Niagara Health, in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities South Central Ontario (RMHC SCO), is thrilled to announce the grand opening of a new Ronald McDonald Family Room at the Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines.
The Family Room, which was officially unveiled on Sept. 5, provides a warm and inviting space for families to take a moment of rest, connect with other’s facing similar challenges and access essential amenities, such as laundry and food services, to make their hospital experience more manageable.
Natalie Doucet, Director, Women and Babies and Children’s Health at Niagara Health says the new space will be a place of respite and comfort for families with children in the hospital.
“Having a place where loved ones can grab a cup of coffee, have a warm meal or simply take a moment to breathe and recharge will offer a sense of normalcy and familiarity in what can often feel like an unfamiliar and overwhelming environment,” she says.
RMHC SCO operates two Family Rooms inside McMaster Children’s Hospital and a Ronald McDonald House in Hamilton, which serve approximately 85 to 120 family members each day. About half of the families served in the three facilities are from the Niagara region, making this new Family Room an important enhancement to patient care at Niagara Health.
Thorold resident Sarah Prebianca is no stranger to Ronald McDonald House and knows first-hand the impact that its facilities can have on families during challenging times.
Prebianca and her family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Hamilton on more than 40 occasions between 2021 and 2023 when their late daughter Georgia was receiving specialized care at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
“Being able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House and use the RMHC Family Rooms at the hospital brought the biggest relief when our daughter was diagnosed with Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome at 18 months,” says Prebianca. “After the long days in the hospital holding our little girl, speaking with doctors, and enduring countless tests and procedures – knowing that we had a quiet space for a coffee, meal or to relax, was a lifeline.”
From left: Lynn Guerriero, President and CEO, Niagara Health; Kate Horton, CEO, RMHC Canada; John Passero, President, Silvergates Homes; David Millen, Board Director, RMHC SCO.
Lynn Guerriero, President and CEO of Niagara Health, emphasized the value the new Ronald McDonald Family Room will bring to Niagara families.
“We are honoured to partner with RMHC SCO to bring this much-needed space to Niagara,” says Guerriero. “It is our hope that this space will not only enhance the care we provide, but also create a warm and supportive atmosphere that nurtures healing and hope."
The Family Room was constructed by local family-run business Silvergates Homes, that not only built and developed the new space, but with their family company Silverline Group and their friends at Mountainview Building Group, together have pledged an incredible $200,000 donation to support the Family Room.
“As a local family business founded by our parents, family and community have always been our core values,” says John Passero, President, Silvergates Homes. “I know I can speak for my entire family when I say I am confident our parents would be supporters of RMHC’s mission.”
“Today is a beautiful example of what can happen when a community comes together,” says Mario De Divitiis, CEO, RMHC SCO. “It’s a culmination of multiple partners, donors, staff and volunteers uniting with one shared vision – to support families and their children. I am so excited for Niagara families and hope from today on they can know that during these seminal moments of their family's life, that RMHC will be there to support them.”
