The story of Ronald McDonald House began with one doctor, one family, and a community that chose to step in.
In the early 1970s, Dr Audrey Evans, a pioneering paediatric oncologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, saw a pattern that could not be ignored. Families were travelling long distances for their child’s cancer treatment and had nowhere suitable to stay. Many slept in cars, waiting rooms or hospital corridors just to remain close.
Dr Evans believed families should not have to choose between being present and coping.
One of her patients was a young girl named Kim Hill, who was being treated for leukaemia. Kim’s father, Fred Hill, was a well known professional football player with the Philadelphia Eagles. Determined to help families like his own, Fred turned to his teammates and began a community fundraising effort that would grow far beyond anything first imagined.
Fred recruited the help of the Eagles’ General Manager, Jim Murray, who in turn reached out to his friend Ed Rensi. At the time, Ed Rensi was a regional manager with McDonald’s.
Ed offered a simple but powerful idea. McDonald’s would donate all proceeds from the Shamrock Shake to support the creation of a place where families could stay close to the hospital during treatment.
That generosity helped turn an idea into something real.
In 1974, the very first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia, just steps from the hospital. It provided families with a place to sleep, cook meals, rest and support one another while their child received care. Most importantly, it allowed families to stay together.
What began as a local effort quickly became something much bigger. Ronald McDonald Houses now operate in communities around the world, each shaped by local needs but united by the same belief.
When a child is seriously ill, family stays. In Ireland, that belief has guided our work for more than 21 years. While our House reflects the families and communities we serve here, it is part of a global story rooted in compassion, practical support, and keeping families close when it matters most.
