Organization Details:

Ronald McDonald House of Houston

Ronald McDonald House of Houston offers a
home away from home for families with children
being treated at Texas Medical Center member institutions for cancer and other serious illnesses. Ronald McDonald House also supports pediatric cancer research.

Description:
The Holcombe House (at 1907 Holcombe Boulevard) provides a 50-bedroom home away from home. The three story brick atrium building includes an eight station kitchen, special needs kitchen, dining room, playrooms, laundry room, outside play area, and even a one-room school. In an average year, over 16,000 nights of lodging are provided to about 700 different families who have traveled from throughout the U.S. and the world to find a cure for their children in Houston.

RMH operates a House inside Texas Children’s Hospital for families with children in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Units. This second House offers a large kitchen and living area, a private quiet room, laundry area, and 20 sleep/nap rooms with private baths. The space is designed to give parents a place to rest or spend the night. This RMH facility, in particular, serves many Houston area families.

RMH also has three Family Rooms within TCH. The first Family Room serves the inpatient section of Hematology/Oncology and the Bone Marrow Transplant section. The second Family Room serves Texas Children’s Cancer Center’s Outpatient Clinic. The third and largest Family Room opened in August 2007 and serves families of children in Cardiovascular Intensive Care and supports the waiting area for families whose children are undergoing heart surgeries and procedures. All three Family Rooms have areas with comfortable seating, TV/VCR, as well as a kitchenette used by families and volunteers. These special rooms offer families and patients a much-needed respite from the typical hospital waiting areas.

RMH operates a House inside Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital for families with children in the Neo-Natal and Pediatric Intensive Care Units. This 14-bedroom house is spread over two floors and includes two Family Lounge areas as well as laundry facilities.

History:
Since opening its doors in 1981, Ronald McDonald House has offered a home away from home to the families of children undergoing treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses at Texas Medical Center institutions. Each year, thousands of children are treated in Houston for serious illnesses. Often, they travel long distances for treatment and the families’ anxiety over the child’s illness is compounded by lengthy hospital stays, months of outpatient treatment, and the expense of being away from home. Whole families may spend their days and nights in hospital lounges or hotels, removed from relatives and friends.

RMH answers the special need of these special families by offering loving, home like environments where they can find support and share experiences with others who are also undergoing the trauma of childhood illness.

Since families pay little or nothing for the services provided, RMH is able to operate these facilities only through gifts of time and financial support. Volunteers help in all areas, and generous donations from individuals, companies, and foundations from throughout the community support the operations.

Contact people:

Kathryn Paine, (phone), (email) Maricela Carrera, Administrative Assistant, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (713) 795-3557

Address:

1907 Holcombe Blvd Houston, TX 77030 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.rmhhouston.org

Last updated on October 5, 2009