KANSAS CITY, Mo — The Ronald McDonald House rooms inside Children’s Mercy got an upgrade over the last year.
“It’s kind of become a sacred place to us,” Chandler VanSickle said.
The VanSickle family used the former Ronald McDonald House Charities’ family room while their daughter, Bella, received treatment.
The collection of 10 rooms, bathrooms and laundry facilities are now known as a Ronald McDonald House, similar to those located off Cherry Street.
Ronald McDonald House will now be able to serve more families during all hours of the day.
"You really have so many needs that you don’t realize you have at that moment," VanSickle said. "Whether it’s somewhere to lay down for a couple of hours or grab a snack to eat — you kind of forget to eat when you are that stressed out and anxious and fearful. A cup of coffee — it’s those little things that really just make this place so amazing to families when they are in the toughest time they’ve ever been in."
Bella is now a strong one-year-old thanks to the care of Children’s Mercy and the support of Ronald McDonald House.
Dr. Brad Warady was a part of bringing Ronald McDonald House inside Children’s Mercy back in 1997 and now works as the hospital’s director of nephrology.
“The support the kids get from family is as or more important than the medicine that we give them, so it’s crucial,” Warady said. “And Ronald McDonald House plays a huge role in the support of families and in turn the recovery of the kids."
Bella’s mother, Christina VanSickle, said thinking about their time in the hospital still makes her emotional, but she is thankful their family was able to remain close by during her treatment.
“You can be right down the hall and be there anytime she needs you to be,” Christina VanSickle said. “It was really awesome."
The house inside Children’s Mercy is expected to take its first guests on July 8.
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