Community members can help support seriously ill and injured children and their families by taking part in this year’s McHappy Day fundraiser on 18 November.
McDonald’s restaurants across Bundaberg have been offering customers the chance to buy silly socks or helping hands to raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) which help families stay together while receiving medical care.
One such family, Shauna and Nathan Groch, were able to spend a total of 63 nights at RMHC South East Queensland, having started their emergency care in Bundaberg.
“At 20 weeks I was diagnosed with Placenta Previa Complete,” Shauna said.
“I was unable to return home to WA due to risk of bleeding.
“I remained in Bundaberg with my one-year-old son [Tommy] and my husband flew back from WA to Queensland.”
Shauna was then flown via the Royal Flying Doctor Service to Brisbane due to pregnancy complications and remained there until her son Geoffrey was born.
“Six weeks into our stay I had an emergency and had to call an ambulance,” Shauna said.
“I then had to stay as an inpatient at the hospital for two weeks before the birth.
“This proximity to the hospital kept both me and Geoffrey safe and meant Nathan and Tommy were just across the road and able to visit every day.
“We, like most families we met never thought we would need to use RMHC, yet we were so incredibly grateful it was available at our time of need.”
For more information on McHappy Day or to make a donation, click here.
