On Monday February 26, 2007, Bloorview Kids Foundation celebrated the opening of the Ronald McDonald Playroom. A light-filled, fun and accessible space, the new Playroom offers a supervised play area for our patients and their siblings. The Ronald McDonald Playroom is a “safe zone” for children, a spot that provides some distance from their painful medical interventions. It’s located at the centre of our new building, on the ground floor, just north of the main entrance.
In attendance at the reception was Louie Mele ,President & CEO of McDonald’s Canada, along with Ronald McDonald House Charities board members, and Bloorview staff and ambassadors. Made possible with a $500,000 gift from Ronald McDonald House Charities of Canada, the playroom is open and supervised on Tuesdays and Fridays.
"Ronald McDonald House Charities is dedicated to helping kids and supporting families," says Shelagh Barrett, Program Manager, RMHC. "We were thrilled to fund the Ronald McDonald Playroom at Bloorview Kids Rehab, (one of the largest RMHC Helping Hands Grants ever to be awarded) which we hope will put smiles on kids' faces and help keep their sprits strong."
Part of the purpose of the new playroom is to free up parents so they can attend group meetings and/or to speak privately with therapists and clinicians, knowing their children are safe, cared for, and having fun.
