On Wednesday, November 13, the official opening of the first Ronald McDonald Family Room, created at the “Agia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, by the Ronald McDonald House Charities Hellas (RMHC Hellas) took place.
The Family Room was inaugurated by the Deputy Minister of Health Marios Themistokleous, in the presence of the COO of the international organization RMHC Global Rodney Jordan, the CEO of Premier Capital plc Melo Hili, the President of RMHC Hellas Ioannis Apostolopoulos and the Director of the Children’s Hospital “Agia Sophia” Emmanuel Papasavvas. The Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis attended the event representing the President of the Greek Government and wished for the start of its operation.
The Family Room is housed in an independent property of 310 m2 within the forecourt of the Hospital, which was renovated by the RMHC Hellas organization as a place of hospitality for the relatives of the children receiving treatment at the Hospital.
The Deputy Minister of Health Marios Themistokleous said “I am very proud of what we are launching here today. First of all, I would like to thank the charity organization Ronald McDonald House Charities Hellas (RMHC Hellas) for their kind donation to the National Health System. In March 2024, we had visited the Children’s Hospital “Agia Sophia” for the start of the work of the first family room and within a period of just eight months, we are here again for the official opening. I consider it very important that we built a hospitality area for the relatives of the children receiving treatment in the hospital, so that their loved ones are always close to them. This is the NHS that we envision, with quality and modernized infrastructure, close to the patient, close to the citizen.”
COO of RMHC Global, Rodney Jordan, said “RMHC Global is pleased welcome the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Agia Sofia Hospital into our global network of programs that provide essential services to remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare. This is an important step forward for the many children and families in Greece who will receive care during such a critical time in their lives.”
The President of the Greek organization RMHC Hellas Ioannis Apostolopoulos said “We are particularly proud that today a dream of years is coming true, the first Family Room of the Greek Organization Ronald McDonald House Charities. Since we started planning the program for Greece, the collaboration with the largest pediatric hospital in Athens, “Agia Sophia”, was an obvious choice. Our collaboration with the Minister of Health, the Hospital Administration and the Region of Attica reminds us that partnerships between the public and private sectors amplify our impact and bring about lasting change. We intend to give all our care and love so that this home will be a place of rest and support and thus positively influence the families who have children hospitalized at the Hospital.”
The Director of the “Agia Sophia” Children’s Hospital Emmanuel Papasavvas said “Today’s opening day of the Ronald McDonald Family Room, donated by RMHC, is especially important for our Children’s Hospitals. The selection of the “Agia Sophia” Children’s Hospital to operate the first Family Room in our country for the families of children receiving treatment, is a noble act of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Greece organization, proving its charitable work and its practical support to National Health System and the Greek society, to whom we sincerely thank.”
The opening event was attended by many major sponsors, donors and supporters of the project, thanks to whose contribution the first RMHC Family Room was completed and operational. Premier Capital Hellas, operator of McDonald’s restaurants in Greece, is the founding and permanent partner of Ronald McDonald House Charities Hellas.
The RMHC Family Room at Agia Sophia Children’s Hospital
The first RMHC Family Room in Greece is housed in a 310 m2 building within the premises of the “Agia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, the renovation of which was carried out by the Ronald McDonald House Charities Hellas.
The Family Room, which will be available for day use, includes kitchen and dining areas, private bathrooms, laundry facilities, a living room with TV, internet access, and there are also three family suites for overnight stays. The Room will be used by families of children who will be treated at the Hospital, while the families who will spend the night will be determined in consultation with the Hospital, based on criteria of vulnerability and needs.
In the RMHC Family Room parents will be able to take a short break from the hospital environment, have lunch or rest, take a shower and do laundry, or simply take a coffee break. The space will provide them the opportunity to relax and rest before returning to their child’s bedside.
About family rooms
Family rest rooms are common in pediatric hospitals around the world, as their managers understand that supporting families helps provide high-quality care for children. Family-centered care is a health care approach that is considered extremely important for the care of children, especially those with serious medical conditions. Thus, family members are fully involved in health care so that they make responsible decisions about the treatment and supportive services that the child and family receive.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities
The charity work of Ronald McDonald House Charities aims to keep together the families of children receiving treatment. Putting the health and well-being of children first and foremost, RMHC branches around the world operate mobile clinics, provide overnight accommodation and create hospitality structures within hospitals where families can rest and recuperate while staying a few steps away from the wards where their children are being treated.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities organization counts almost 50 years of operation with the aim of the health and well-being of children and their families. Today it provides more than 690 hosting programs in 62 countries and regions. It impacts the lives of millions of children and their families by providing more than 2.2 million overnights and accommodation, while over 152,000 volunteers support its work around the world.
Ronald McDonald House Charities was born in 1974 with the establishment of the first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, USA. Restaurant company McDonald’s was a founding partner and since then it supports the mission and operation of RMHC around the world.
