Children undergoing treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses at Elmhurst Hospital Center recently received a special holiday surprise as Macy’s volunteers transformed the Ronald McDonald House Family Room located within the hospital into a winter wonderland.
Over several days, the Macy’s team adorned the room with a Christmas tree, snowflakes, and more to bring holiday cheer to pediatric patients as they continue to receive the lifesaving treatment they require. The volunteers from Macy’s also decorated Ronald McDonald House New York located on East 73rd Street in Manhattan and another facility in Brooklyn.
“We are so grateful to the Macy’s team for partnering with us to provide beautiful holiday decorations at our House on East 73rd Street in Manhattan and in our Family Rooms within Elmhurst and Kings County Hospitals,” said Ruth C. Browne, president and CEO of Ronald McDonald House New York. “These festive touches go a long way to uplift the children’s spirits and make these spaces feel more like home for families as they receive treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses during the holiday season.”
As part of its hospital outreach programs and partnerships with eight leading healthcare systems, including Elmhurst Hospital, Ronald McDonald House New York serves families with children undergoing treatment for serious illnesses within the hospitals through various social programs. The Ronald McDonald House Family Room supports family members and caregivers of hospitalized children. It offers laundry services, favorite foods, personal items, relaxation sessions, mail delivery, and more, enabling families to focus on what’s most important: their time together and beating their child’s disease.
“Through our partnerships with eight leading healthcare systems in New York City, Ronald McDonald House New York works closely with local hospitals to ensure that patients are receiving support and care through various social programs, and initiatives like this help us to further our mission of ensuring health equity and providing much-needed resources, relief, and normalcy for these families,” Browne said.
The organization provides temporary housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families in a strong, supportive and caring environment that encourages and nurtures the development of child-to-child and parent-to-parent support systems. Since 1974, Ronald McDonald House New York has served more than 59,000 families throughout all five boroughs of New York City, across the U.S. and around the world.
