New expanded Ronald McDonald House in Halifax to open its doors next week

A sneak peek of Halifax’s new $30-million Ronald McDonald House, which is preparing to open its doors to families that have to travel to the IWK for care.

Ronald McDonald House Charities Atlantic is set to open the doors to a brand-new facility next week in Halifax.

“The need for a new facility is to double the number of families we support and make sure they have a relaxing place to stay while their child is on medical journey,” says Lori Barker, Ronald McDonald House Charities Atlantic CEO.

The new facility will welcome families starting April 29.

The Van Lan Duyts are one family staying at the current Ronald McDonald House in Halifax.

Kaitlynn and her mother Tina Docherty have been at the house for more than a month as they support three-week-old Raiden in the NICU at the IWK Health Centre.

“It’s emotional to see her go through this, but it makes me happy to see that she’s in the best place that she can be,” says Docherty.

The New Brunswickers are a long way from home and say the house is the only affordable option for them.

“My husband’s at home with our oldest son and I’m here with my mom supporting our youngest son in the NICU. Having people to talk to and support you feels like a family away from family,” says Van Lan Duyt.

It is Van Lan Duyt and her family’s second stay at a Ronald McDonald House. They stayed at one in Vancouver when they lived there and now the one in Halifax after they moved to New Brunswick.

The medical care that both of Van Lan Duyt’s boys need is at the IWK, so being close to the hospital is crucial for her.

“Both of our sons were born with rare chromosome deletions and/or abnormalities and my water broke really early with my first son, so I had to stay there until he was born and my second son was also created with pregnancy complications and we were here at 34 weeks until he was born and he’s currently at the NICU,” says Van Lan Duyt.

She says one thing she is looking forward to about the new facility is the sensory room for her oldest son Daxton, who is four. She is also looking forward to having more space for her family to unpack from their suitcases a bit and have their own washroom.

“A lot more space, so for someone who has a toddler who sensory seeks and all that, not being up in everyone else’s space is kinda nice. A lot more kitchen space and there isn’t gonna be fighting or working around other people or volunteers trying to bake. We will have our own washrooms, that’s a big plus and just like the bedroom space and places to put things,” says Van Lan Duyt.

Barker says the planning for the project started in 2017 and she is proud of all the work that made it possible.

“A big reason for what drove us to create this new building is needing more space,” says Barker.

Ronald McDonald House Charities Atlantic says the need is urgent as the organization is unable to support four-out-of-five families across Canada who need a Ronald McDonald House stay due to lack of space or no available program location.

The Halifax new location will include 28 standard suites, four apartment-style suits and four barrier-free suites.

“We have so many different program spaces, arts and crafts rooms, sensory room, activity room, there’s a fitness room on the lower level, a team zone, and a huge kitchen pavilion,” says Barker.

The new location is located at 5950 South St. and will serve 36 families.

“What the house is meant to do is just help families decompress. They are dealing with a sick child and a lot of stress in their lives. And so we are there to really help provide a safe place for them to feel comfortable, they can come home to meals. There is food in the pantry that they can cook with. And then there are lots of activities so their kids can participate in that and just be distracted from the medical journey they’re on,” says Barker.

The $30-million project was made possible by community support. Barker says she is amazed at what they have created, and the families and donors feel the same way.

“I look back at the last eight years of planning, fundraising, designing and working with an amazing group to bring this to light,” says Barker.

Van Lan Duyt says even with an unknown timeline of how long her family will be staying at the current house, or back and forth from the new one, she is relieved to know that her family has a place to stay.

“Just having a spot to stay close to the hospital where we can relax but go to the appointments, come back, get the surgeries done, recover, come back, that will be a lot of what our life will look like for the next two years,” says Van Lan Duyt.

Docherty is also grateful that she is able to stay by her daughter’s side.

“To have a place like this to come to, I can’t even put it into words how amazing, fantastic it is to be able to do that,” she says.

Barker says those who have had a sneak peek at the new facility have been amazed.

“We have brought in a few families for tours and there is always tears and so much amazement… we are in a 100-plus-year-old home right now and coming into this space is truly transformative for them,” says Barker.

The purpose for the new facility remains the same, to provide a home away from home so that families can focus on supporting their families through a difficult diagnosis.

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