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When a child becomes seriously ill, the whole family suffers, particularly if the loved one must be hospitalized or receive out patient treatment far away from home for extended periods of time.
To be together, family members often sleep on uncomfortable cots or chairs, sleep in their cars, or bear the expense of a hotel room. At a time when they want all their strength available, the simple demands of everyday life can seem overwhelming.
For these families, Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco offers a refuge from the hospital, a Home Away From Home where they can have a comfortable room and bed, kitchen and laundry facilities, and a play area. They can draw hope and strength from late night conversations over a hot cup of coffee, sharing with other residents their experiences that may be difficult for family and friends back home to fully understand.
Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco is one of over 250 Ronald McDonald Houses worldwide that provide a home away from home to families of seriously ill children. Each Ronald McDonald House is an independently owned and operated community-supported nonprofit organization. The very first house opened in 1974 in Philadelphia with the help of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles.
The idea for the Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco was inspired by a baby named Simon Nagel Gold. After four weeks of struggling for life in the intensive care nursery at Mount Zion Medical Center in San Francisco, he died from a cardiac condition. As a tribute to their son and to help ease the burden on families with similar circumstances, Simon's parents worked to open the Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco, realizing their dream in 1989. They were able to turn their vision into a reality by enlisting the support of medical professionals, friends in the community, and local McDonald's owners/operators.
Today, the Board of Directors oversees the House's management and operation. The Board consists of individuals representing the San Francisco Bay Area. They are an accomplished and diverse group consisting of medical, accounting, and finance professionals, an architect, an engineer and attorneys.
Click here to see the 2007 Board of Directors.
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