Ronald McDonald House and Charities team up with PBR to uplift NQ family

Ronald McDonald House and PBR have teamed up to lift the spirits of a North Queensland family as their six-month-old son fights against a serious illness.

A Cairns family staying at the Ronald McDonald House have been presented with two tickets to this weekend’s PBR alongside a gift that symbolises their strength and perseverance as their six-month-old son undergoes a serious health battle.

Katie Moss and father Steven Phineasa recently made the temporary move to Townsville’s Ronald McDonald house after their son, Tobias, contracted a serious illness which left him fighting for his life.

“Tobias came down from Cairns, quite critical with meningococcal. He is now an amputee because of that condition,” Ms Moss said.

The couple’s other three children, 12-year-old Baylee, nine-year-old Hunter and 10-year-old Zakoa also made the trip to Townsville, something that Ms Moss said meant the world to her.

“You need to maintain that connection as a family without feeling like you need to separate so it’s very important,” she said.

“We’ve got everything we need here to live and for it to feel like a home away from home.”

Ronald McDonald House and Charities, in collaboration with PBR, gifted the parents two tickets to this weekend event alongside a silver and gold belt buckle presented to them by professional rodeo and bull riding entertainer, Matt Merritt.

Baylee Moss, Hunter Moss, Katie Moss, Zakoa Moss and Steven Phineasa were gifted with a gold and silver cowboy belt buckle by Matt Merritt as a symbol of their courage and perseverance during their six month old sons, Tobias Phineasa's health battle.

Ms Moss said she was looking forward to a positive experience that could keep her spirits high.

“I think being able to get the opportunity to have downtime and just step back into what reality was before you were in a situation like this and still feel a bit of normality outside of the hospital is quite important,” she said.

Mr Merritt said that meeting the family and presenting the belt buckle was “quite emotional”.

“I’ve battled with cancer myself. My wife has as well and I know, just as a human it’s tough to be sick and scared and all those things, but as a parent, I couldn’t imagine it,” he said.

“We want them to take that buckle, remember that that’s what it means to us as cowboys, is that you’ve worked very hard, you’ve persevered, you’ve shown something that not everybody else has, and that’s why you’re a champion.”

Ronald McDonald House charities Community Relations and Development Manager Sarah Jones said it was incredibly special they could provide families with joyful experiences during these uncertain times.

“These families are going through some of the most difficult times in their lives and any opportunity that we have to bring some joy and laughter and smile into their world, it’s just wonderful,” she said.

Originally published as Ronald McDonald House and Charities team up with PBR to uplift NQ family