New Ronald McDonald House offers refuge for families of critically ill kids

ST. PETERSBURG — You've heard about the enormous $400 million building, the state-of-the-art operating rooms, the 97-bed neonatal unit and rooftop helicopter pad.

Here's something else that's pretty nifty at the new All Children's Hospital: a place just minutes away from a child's hospital bed where parents and relatives of a child in severe condition can quickly wash a load of laundry, prepare a meal, access a computer or rest their head in rooms posher than some three-star hotels.

It's the new Ronald McDonald House, and it's one of a handful among 300 in the country that are physically connected to a hospital. It opens this week.

"We are here to make their experience better when they are dealing with what may be the worst situation in their lives," said Donna Young, house director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay.

Having the new house connected to All Children's by a walkway over Sixth Avenue S is a world away from being down the street, said Young. It is in the outpatient care center at 601 Fifth St. S.

"To a family, this is close as they can possibly get to the hospital," she said.

There are two other Ronald McDonald Houses within walking distance of All Children's. The "east" and "west" houses provide longer stays, but do not have all the bells and whistles. They also require parents to contribute a daily chore to stay there.

The new "central" house has 14 resident rooms and offers one to two nights' stay to families of intensive care patients who live a distance away. No chores are required. A $10 daily fee is optional. After the second day, the families can move to the east or west houses.

"For parents to have a place close by when their children are close to death can ease some of the burden," said Patty Jackson, a social worker in the cardiovascular intensive care unit at All Children's. "The new hospital is beautiful, it has all kinds of kid-friendly and family-friendly support, but it's still a hospital. It's not like being in a home or a hotel."

The central house will also provide limited hours to any family with a child at All Children's. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. they can access computers, television, a laundry room and snacks. From noon to 3 p.m., they can take a shower or a nap.

With another house near Tampa General Hospital, the nonprofit agency says it served 2,300 families last year.

Reach Luis Perez at lperez@sptimes.com or (727)892-2271.