Free hospital accommodation for poor families
A charity program offering free accommodation in hospital to poor families from outside Shanghai was unveiled at Shanghai Children’s Medical Center on Tuesday.
Patients with serious diseases such as leukemia, cancer and immunity disorders and who need long-term stays in Shanghai can apply for the accommodation sponsored by McDonald’s, the fast food company.
Ronald McDonald House was unveiled at Shanghai Children's Medical Center on Tuesday.
The 4-floor Ronald McDonald House has 12 family rooms with all the facilities needed by patients and their families who may need to spend days or even weeks in the city during treatment and rehabilitation before going back home.
The children-friendly building has play areas and is decorated in bright colors.
“It is a warm home for these poor families, who have come all the way to Shanghai Children’s Medical Center for treatment,” said Chen Yuting, director of the hospital’s social work department. “We have visited similar facilities in Western countries to help offer a place that families can accompany their children during the hospitalization period. We had met some parents that just slept in the lobby or behind the administrative building in order to save money. This charity program can help such families. Three families have issued applications for the house currently.”
"We want to relieve the economic pressure on patients’ families and at the same time provide spiritual support," said Phyllis Cheung, CEO of McDonald's China.
The company had provided 553 families with 23,000 nights of accommodation as of November this year after the charity program was launched in 2016 in Changsha in Hunan Province.
Cheung said a third McDonald House would be unveiled in Beijing next year.
A play area for children.
One of the rooms in the Ronald McDonald House.
A kitchen that allows families to cook for themselves.
