April 16, 2024

New Ronald McDonald House opens at MercyOne Children’s Hospital

Pictured left to right are Kathy Goetz, vice president of Women’s Services and MercyOne Children’s Hospital; Mark Hasek, chair of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa board; Sheila Mahan, vice president of programs for Des Moines Downtown Chamber; Brenda Miller, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa; Dr. Cary Murphy, neonatologist at MercyOne Children’s Hospital NICU and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa board member; and Karl Keeler, president of MercyOne Central Iowa.

DES MOINES — A new Ronald McDonald House at MercyOne Children’s Hospital is now open to families. It will be the second House serving central Iowa and the tenth in the nation location within a hospital.

The unit, located on the fourth floor of the hospital, includes 14 bedroom suites that sleep up to five people, a full-size kitchen and dining room, laundry room, play room, lactation room and respite room. Families with children age 21 and younger who are receiving treatment at MercyOne Children’s Hospital are welcome to stay at the Ronald McDonald House after being referred by a medical provider or social worker.

“Ronald McDonald House’s mission is to enrich the quality of life for children and their families,” said Ronald McDonald House Central Iowa Executive Director Brenda Miller. “We keep families close by providing a home away from home for families traveling to Des Moines to seek critical medical care for their child that is not available in their home communities. Expanding our services wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our lead donors – AbbVie, the Lauridsen Family, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows – Iowa, Prairie Meadows, MercyOne Des Moines Auxiliary and Polk County Board of Supervisors – as well as the many other individuals and organizations who will help sustain our mission.”

“We are thrilled to become the tenth medical center in the United States to offer patients and families an in-hospital Ronald McDonald House,” said Karl Keeler, president, MercyOne Central Iowa. “MercyOne Children’s Hospital has a lasting legacy of providing high-quality care for thousands of young patients across Iowa, and now we will help these patients even more as their families are able to remain close to them while they heal under the care of our skilled providers.”