Caring for children with cancer or other serious illnesses, can become all consuming on the family. Trips back and forth from doctors appointments and children’s hospital visits can start to take a toll on everyone–emotionally, physically and financially. Sometimes, the children’s hospital is too far for a daily back and forth drive, however, hotel prices are too expensive for continuous overnight stays, leaving the family with few options.
The first Ronald McDonald house opened in 1974 as a place of support and assistance for families who were caring for a child in the hospital. At the time, the Philadelphia Eagle’s tight end, Fred Hill experienced first hand what it was like to care for a child in a hospital. While his young daughter fought pediatric cancer, Hill experienced what it was like to be stuck in the bind of needing to stay close by, with little to know accommodation options. He was determined to find a solution for the countless other families caring for a child in childrens hospitals. With the help of Leonard Tose, owner of the Eagles, Jim Murray, the Eagles’ general manager, and Don Tuckerman from the McDonald Advertising Agency, Hill’s idea became a reality. Now there are over 305 Ronald McDonald Houses around the world.
The Ronald McDonald House is a place for families to stay while their child is in treatment at a nearby Children’s Hospital. Usually close by the pediatric unit of the hospital, the Ronald McDonald house offers the family the opportunity to stay overnight at little to no cost which allows them to focus their attention on their child’s medical treatment without worrying about travel and financial burdens of hotel costs.
The Jessie Rees Foundation strives for continuously provide helpful information and resources to families who are caring for a child with cancer and/or other serious life threatening illnesses. Below is a list of California Ronald McDonald House locations that may be helpful to you and your family. To find a list of Ronald McDonald Houses that may be in your area visit our family resource page.
California Ronald McDonald Houses
Bakersfield
420 34th St.
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Loma Linda
11365 Anderson Street
Loma Linda, CA 92354
Long Beach – CA
500 E. 27th Street
Long Beach, CA 90806
Angeles
4560 Fountain Avenue & 1250 Lyman Place
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Madera
9161 Randall Way
Madera, CA 93638
Orange
383 South Batavia Street
Orange, CA 92868
Pasadena
765 S. Pasadena Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91105
Sacramento
2555 49th Street
Sacramento, CA 95817
San Diego
2929 Children’s Way
San Diego, CA 92123
San Francisco
1640 Scott Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
Stanford
520 Sand Hill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304