Construction on Regina’s Ronald McDonald House to start in March

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Construction on the city’s first Ronald McDonald House is set to begin next month, paving the way for an affordable option for families to stay while their children receive medical care in Regina.

“Many families are still going to have to travel to Saskatoon to go to Jim Pattison Children’s (Hospital) … but the reality is the more we can treat a family and a child closer to home, that is what we want to do when it comes to health care in this province,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said this week at a funding announcement.

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“Having this service available in the southern half of the province is really key.”

The provincial government announced $6.5 million in funding for the house, which it says will include 20 bedrooms, a playroom, outdoor play space and communal kitchen.

The new facility is set to be built at the corner of Scarth Street and 15th Avenue, just a few blocks from Regina General Hospital, and will serve families from out of town getting specialized care in the city. It will be operated by Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Saskatchewan.

Cockrill pointed to pediatric services like RGH’s Mother Baby Unit when asked what kind of specialized care children may require in Regina.

“Not every birth goes smoothly,” he said, highlighting the need for services to support families in the event of complications.

Some rural families travel hours to Regina for care, noted RMHC Saskatchewan’s CEO Tammy Forrester during the announcement. Those families must navigate finding a hotel or driving back and forth from home to visit their family members in care.

“That is just unimaginable for families. It’s unimaginable for a family to leave a child in the hospital and be that far away,” she said, adding that having a Ronald McDonald house blocks away helps alleviate both the mental health and financial burdens.

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The “suggested room contribution” for families is $10 a night, but no one will be turned away if they are unable to pay that, according to RMHC Saskatchewan’s website.

The province is home to two other RHMC programs, in Prince Albert and Saskatoon. Approximately 29,800 families have been served by those programs, notes the release.

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