New Ronald McDonald House inside Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital Will Keep Even More Families Together

Today, we celebrate the opening of a new Ronald McDonald House within the Renée Schine Crown Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital.

The new Ronald McDonald House opens as we celebrate our 45th anniversary of helping families get better together and will provide respite and hospitality for families to regroup in a home-like environment inside the hospital, just steps away from their child.

“For children facing a serious medical crisis, nothing is more important than having family members close for love and support. That’s why each night, we keep families with hospitalized children close to the care they need,” says Holly Buckendahl, CEO, RMHC-CNI. “This new Ronald McDonald House directly supports our mission of helping families get better together and will provide families with immediate access to their hospitalized child, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

In the first full year of operation, we anticipate accommodating more than 1,500 family check-ins and more than 25,000 visits to the hospitality space.

In addition to five bedrooms with bathrooms, a children’s play area and kitchenette and family lounge, the House features everything that families might need during their stay, including catered meals and snacks donated by caring supporters, shared space for watching TV and relaxing, as well as a play area with games, books, crafts, and activities for all ages.

“The addition of a Ronald McDonald House within the Renée Schine Crown Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will allow families the ability to remain close to their loved ones during their stay at Northwestern Medicine,” said Dean M. Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “Being able to offer our families the comforts of home and space for self-care is vital to their wellbeing and aligns with our Patients First mission.”

Watch coverage of our new House here: