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Families staying at the Ronald McDonald House at Kings College Hospital in Camberwell were delighted to welcome Rt Hon Michael Howard; QC MP on Wednesday 14 March. Mr Howard was there to meet with families who were staying at the House whilst their children were being treated at the Hospital and to find out more about the work of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), before he spoke at our third Annual Gala Dinner, which took place on Thursday 16 March.
Whilst at the House Mr Howard met Charlotte Chaney and her 10 month old son Benedict who was born 18 weeks prematurely and weighed just 1lb 10 ounces. Benedict has been receiving treatment at Kings College Hospital since November, and Charlotte has been able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House close by. Due to Benedict’s early arrival he will continue to come back to the Hospital for treatment as he continues to develop and grow.
Charlotte has been staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Camberwell for the last five months and it has become like a second home to her. It’s a place to get some crucial rest, gain some sense of normality and support from other families in similar situations whilst still being so close to Benedict.
After visiting the House Mr Howard said: “When a child is admitted to hospital families can find the time pressures and cost of travelling to and from the hospital very stressful. Children may have to be in hospital for weeks or even months. RMHC gives families a place to sleep, prepare a decent meal, wash their clothes, and more importantly to try and get some rest. Meeting Charlotte and all the other families at the House really brought it home to me just how enormously important the services that RMHC provides are. I am proud to support them and it was my pleasure to speak at their Gala Dinner.”
At the Gala Dinner Mr Howard continued: “ Having seen the charity’s work first hand I would like to encourage more people to support them in providing accommodation for families who desperately need their help.
The Gala Dinner raised over £100,000 on the night, which will go towards the £8 million we have committed to support and develop 16 new accommodation projects across the UK.
Telephone 0844 840 0844 | Charity Reg. No. 802047 | © RMHC 2009
