Fun run for Ronald McDonald House launches in Randwick
Ronald McDonald House families, staff and supporters gathered in Randwick to launch the 2019 RBC Race for the Kids, which aims to raise $130,000.
Tony and Claire Moore, parents of eleven-year-old Carlo and nine-year-old Grace, have called Ronald McDonald House Randwick their home away from home since 2014, when Carlo was diagnosed with severe reflux disease and gastroparesis.
Carlo’s condition means his stomach doesn’t empty properly, and he requires feeding through tubes overnight.
The Moore family have committed themselves to raising awareness for Ronald McDonald House as Carlo continues treatment. They know first-hand the relief Ronald McDonald provides to families.
“It’s the little things that they do … It’s the comfy towels, comfy beds, it's the home cooked meals that we get that takes the pressure off, ” Carlo’s mum Claire Moore said.
“And it's the welcoming faces of the staff, you know they come and give you a hug, they know when you’re feeling down, they know when you need your space, they’re really receptive of your needs and we’re very grateful.”
The Moore family’s three-hour plus drive from their Canberra home to Sydney Children’s Hospital is a familiar story for the 730 families of seriously ill children that were housed at Randwick last year.
Lisa Wipfli, the newly appointed ambassador for Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney, attended the media launch for the Royal Bank of Canada Race for the Kids on Wednesday.
The annual family-friendly race held at Sydney Park aims to raise $130,000 for Ronald McDonald House this year. It will be held on March 24.
Wipfli, a director of baby food firm Nourishing Bubs and the wife of radio personality Mike “Wippa” Wipfli, said she wanted to help families like the Moores since she and her husband joined in the fun-run last year.
“Being a mum has made it resonate with me, and now I want to be involved to help make this house even better and make it more of a beautiful community for the families that are here,” Wipfli said.
She also stressed the importance of supporting the parents of seriously ill children who can often be forgotten.
“Everyone thinks about the kids … but they're actually very resilient … the mums and dads that are going through all of this, you know they need the support.”
Other Race for the Kids ambassadors who attended the media launch included Sydney Thunder cricketer Chris Green and Fox News and Studio 10 media personality Anna Kooiman.
Kooiman, who first became involved with Ronald McDonald House Charities in the US when she was philanthropy chair of her college sorority, said families staying at Ronald McDonald House would potentially go bankrupt missing work and trying to pay for hotels, travel and food without the charity’s support.
“I would just encourage anybody and everybody to get out there and lace up their shoes on March the 24th and help us raise money … it can really make a difference to a lot of families of seriously ill children,” Kooiman said.
The executive officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney, Simone Daher, said funds raised by the 2019 RBC Race for the Kids will partly contribute to Randwick’s learning program which supported 338 families last year, including 10 HSC students, as well as a new family room opening in Wollongong.
RBC Race for the Kids is at Sydney Park on March 24 and includes a 2km walk and 5km fun run.
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