Why Dance for Sick Kids?

Each year, over 4,700 families with sick and injured children will receive critical support from Ronald McDonald House Charities in Greater Western Sydney, Tasmania and Victoria.

Thank you for dancing to help make a difference for families like these.

Sign Up Today Register Your Interest


By fundraising, you're helping over 4,700 familes with sick or injured children, who rely on Ronald McDonald House Charities programs in Greater Western Sydney, Victoria and Tasmania each year. 

Through your fundraising, parents and children from all over Australia have access to critical family-centred services and support, including accommodation at Ronald McDonald House, a place to rest and relax through Ronald McDonald Family Rooms and education support through our Learning Program.

This vital support is life-changing. It reduces the financial, emotional and physical burden on families and strengthens their ability to cope.

Read more about our Programs

Meet Isabelle

After noticing Isabelle had a swollen wrist, her mum Chrystal took her to the emergency department.  

Just a few days later, after travelling from West Kempsey to The Children’s Hospital in Westmead, they received the devastating news that Isabelle had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer).

As part of her ongoing treatment, Isabelle had her fibula removed. Thankfully, her family have been by her side. They have called Ronald McDonald House in Westmead home for over 255 nights when they needed it the most. 

"Just having a place to come home to, where there are meals after a long day and activities for the kids...thank you so much" - Isabelle's Mum, Chrystal 

Belle has recently returned home to West Kempsey but will continue to come to Westmead for regular check-ups. Although her future as a dancer is unknown, her love for dance continues and she is taking it one physio appointment and one fouetté turn at a time.

By joining Dance for Sick Kids, you're making an everlasting impact on the lives of seriously ill children and their families. Thank you!

Impact

A global research team* worked with RMHC to evaluate the impact of our House Program on families around the world. The following is a summary of those findings**.

Access to the best care

Our House Program makes it possible for families who travel long distances, to access the top children’s hospitals around the world.

Stronger mental health

Having a child in hospital can trigger clinical anxiety in parents. Our Houses provide families with the emotional, mental and practical support to better manage their stress, so that they can be more actively involved in the care of their children.

Financial peace of mind

Ongoing medical bills, travel and accommodation costs are a huge source of stress for many families. Our Houses offer accommodation at no cost, close to hospitals, to alleviate some of the burden.

Parents sleep better

Parents who sleep at one of our Houses have a better night’s rest than those that sleep at their child’s hospital bedside. This ensures they have the strength to support their child.

Children’s recovery

Having family and siblings close by, who are invested in a child’s care, can improve a hospitalised child’s recovery and treatment outcomes.

Positive hospital experience

Families who stay at a Ronald McDonald House find they have a more positive experience of hospital than those that stay elsewhere.

Families cope better

Having family together under one roof, including the support of experienced volunteers and other families, greatly improves a family’s ability to cope with having a child in hospital.

Safe, affordable alternative to hospital

Many high-risk pregnant women who are stable but need to be close to care, can now afford to stay close to care. This is also the case for parents who have a newborn in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Siblings cope better

Play is how children interact and make sense of the world. That’s why play areas are such an important part of our offering. They allow siblings to connect and cope more with the stress of a difficult situation.

* The global team of researchers was drawn from leading universities, including the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), George Washington University, the University of Chicago, as well as from top medical centres in Hong Kong; Sydney, Australia; the United Kingdom; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cincinnati, U.S.; and Toronto, Canada.

** Findings taken from RMHC Impact Research – the name for a suite of studies on the impact of RMHC around the world. The summaries provided here provide a snapshot of the findings from each of the key Ronald McDonald House Impact studies.

Ronald McDonald House CHARITIES Programs

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSES

Located in close proximity to major hospitals, Ronald McDonald Houses provide a warm, safe, home-away-from-home when seriously ill and injured children require specialist care and treatment far from their home towns in regional and rural Australia

 

Ronald McDonald House Hobart

Our Hobart House provides comfort and support to eleven families each night, who have children undergoing care at Royal Hobart Hospital. 

Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria & Tasmania



Ronald McDonald House North Fitzroy at Casa Elda Vaccari

Located at the historic Casa Elda Vaccari, our House has been converted into a purpose-built accommodation facility for up to 25 families with children in nearby hospitals, per night.

Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria & Tasmania



Ronald McDonald House Westmead

Just moments away from Westmead Children's Hospital, the Westmead house provides a home-away-from-home for 60 families each night, while their child undergoes treatment. 

Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Western Sydney



Ronald McDonald House Monash

On the grounds of Monash Children’s Hospital, our House has two fully self-contained units and 13 rooms, with different configurations to accommodate the ever-changing needs of families.

Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria & Tasmania



Ronald McDonald House Parkville

Located moments away from the Royal Children's Hospital, our Parkville House has 51 guest rooms of various sizes, including three fully self-contained isolation suites.

Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria & Tasmania

 

FAMILY ROOMS

Run by our friendly volunteers, our Family Rooms are welcoming spaces where families can take time out from the clinical environment of the wards, have a tea or coffee, freshen up with a shower or find a quiet space for a much-needed nap. It provides families with a place to rest, eat, freshen up, play and relax during their child's treatment. 



Joan Kirner Women's and Children's Hospital Family Room
Located in Joan Kirner Women's and Children's Hospital, Victoria

Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria & Tasmania



Nepean Family Room
Located in Nepean Hospital, Sydney

Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Western Sydney



Monash Children's Family Room
Located in Monash Children's Hospital, Victoria

Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria & Tasmania



Wodonga Hospital Family Room
Located in Wodonga Campus Albury Wodonga Health, Victoria

Run by Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria & Tasmania

LEARNING PROGRAM


Extended stays in hospital or receiving medical treatment means kids miss school. Our tailored one-to-one tuition help kids catch up on schoolwork so that they feel confident as they transition back to school. Our Learning Program also offers professional development for educators. EDMed™ provides teachers with information about the potential impacts of a serious or chronic illness, as well as educational strategies to support the needs of these students impacted by a serious or chronic illness.

Ready to Make Your Move?

If you have any questions about Dance for Sick Kids, or need a hand with anything, please reach out. We’re here to help!

CONTACT THE DANCE FOR SICK KIDS TEAM

If you have any questions about Dance for Sick Kids or need a hand with anything, please reach out. We're here to help!