What to expect during this immersive experience
You will gain a first-hand understanding what parents and carers go through on a daily basis, as well as getting an opportunity to see what it takes to create the best possible experience for a family and come to know the families staying at the House in Orange.
During this 24-hour overnight immersion experience, you will be:
- Cooking and serving dinner and breakfast to our families;
- Guided through real life scenarios, gaining a better understanding of what families go through;
- Using your skills and knowledge together to tackle a business issue
- Gaining a unique insight on what it takes to run the House and create a true sense of empathy for the families that stay at RMHC Central West NSW.
Registrations for our next experience taking place 29 - 30 May are now open.
5
Number of CEOs
$2,913
Funds Raised
18
Nights Raised
I drove almost 8 hours from close to the Victorian border knowing I could stay nearby at Ronald McDonald House Central West in Orange.
Just over six weeks ago, Mick and Jacinta Cannon heard they could access care for their son Balin in a mental health unit at Orange Hospital and Mick and Balin drove almost 8 hours from close to the Victorian border knowing they could stay nearby at Ronald McDonald House Central West in Orange.
Staying at a Ronald McDonald House while the couple accessed specialist care for their son was nothing new for the Cannon’s who have stayed at several houses in NSW and Victoria while their son was being treated for a range of complex issues.
Four weeks after Mick’s arrival, Jacinta was able to follow with the couple’s youngest son who was approaching his 13th birthday.
“Here at the house it turned out to be such a special day. Bailin was able to come to the house to be part of our party celebrations and Mick had organised a cake for Hunter who was turning 13,” said Jacinta.
“And to top it off – staff and volunteers organised a lovely gift bag for Hunter and as well there was a team of local chefs here cooking up a meal – it was just a special day for Hunter and all of us,” said Mick,
Jacinta and Mick both speak in glowing terms of the house in Orange.
“It really is a home away from home,” said Jacinta.
When Mick first arrived at the house after Balin had been admitted for acute care he says he doesn’t know he would have managed if he wasn’t able to access the emergency pre-prepared meals at the house.
“I was spending 12 to 15 hours a day in the unit with Balin to support him and if I hadn’t been able to access one of those wonderful home cooked meals, I know late at night I would have just driven to a petrol station to pick up what I could,” Mick said.
According to the Cannon’s the set up at the Orange house has enabled them to spend as much time as possible nearby supporting their son during his treatment.
“There is everything here we could possibly need and more,” said Mick.
“The design of the Orange house is so clever – so many individual spaces for families to suit their various needs,” said Mick.
For Jacinta, being able to walk with their son Balin in the green spaces around the house is very therapeutic.
“He just loves nature and there is so wildlife to see on our walk,” she said.
Mick Cannon said all kudos must go to the designers of the house in Orange which he says has been beautifully integrated into the green spaces.
“Being here is a therapy in itself and we are just so grateful to everyone – the staff and all the volunteers,” he said.
Without being able to access the free accommodation ad support services, the Cannon family says it would be difficult to come up with the thousands of dollars required for private accommodation.
“It’s hard for any family to come up with thousands of dollars if you had to pay for accommodation,” said Mick.
The family know they have many challenges ahead but say their journey has been eased with the support of RMHC Central West.
Pictured above: Jacinta with Balin’s Brother Hunter, and Mick
RMHC Central West NSW
Since Ronald McDonald House Charities Central West NSW opened in 2015, over 1750 families have stayed at the house for a total of 13,100 nights at no cost, providing families accommodation savings of $2.01m.
As we wrap around families in their time of need, the House in Orange also provides free of charge emergency meals, toiletries for rooms, grocery items for self catering and beautiful gift bags of new toys, activities and books for the sick child in hospital.
Our area takes in families Western NSW Local Health District, primarily from rural and regional NSW and more than 20 % of our families who have stayed at the house so far have had a child or adolescent requiring urgent and life saving care in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit in Orange Hospital (representing over 50% of our room nights). This specialist unit is the only one outside of Sydney.
For country people who may come under added pressure of negotiating the unfamiliar territory of a large metropolitan city, our ‘home away from home” in Orange is built in the beautiful leafy setting close to the hospital.
In 2024 we opened the Hospitality Cart Program at the Dubbo Hospital. This is a service run by volunteer, providing bedside support with essential items for parents and patients in the paediatric ward and special care nursery.
