Dear RMHC Hong Kong team, donors, sponsors and family,
My name is Rob Prange.
I had the unfortunate circumstance to have to live in a Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis for 5 months in 2001.
Hang on did I say unfortunate. That part only relates to the fact that my then 7-year-old daughter Robin was battling Leukemia since her 3rd birthday.
We are from the Netherlands. There were no treatment options in the Netherlands any more. The doctors had given up on her in December 2000.
Through the new internet, we found an alternative treatment in Minneapolis, with a 50% chance of improving her situation, with the goal to give her another Bone marrow transplant. Possibly saving her life.
So we left home and flew to Minneapolis in May 2001. When we arrived at the clinic, the social worker immediately brought us in touch with the Ronald McDonald house.
They had a room available. We were a family of 5 at that time - 2 kids, my wife and I and my mom, my dad had died 2 weeks earlier, so we took her along.
It was great to be in a Ronald McDonald House with families that were going through a similar battle. It was a home away from home. Where you could cook, play games, have a quiet room. In house school for the kids and sporting facilities.
There was no need for explanations on your anxiety or a need to hide your fears and pain. Families from all over the US and even Egypt were living in the house.
We all became one big family, sharing a life that looked normal from the outside, but it wasn’t in reality.
There was room for laughter, joy, playing games, BBQ outside. Activities with American donors/sponsor companies.
The house would get tickets to all sorts of sporting events, attractions (like Ocean Park or Disney) and during the holidays trips with the kids would be organised.
Sadly enough Robin died on the 11th of October 2001. Despite all the treatment and related stress. My family and especially Robin had a good summer in 2001. Which would not have been possible without the Ronald McDonald house.
So we were blessed and fortunate to be able to live in a Ronald McDonald House.
On this past 11th of October, I decided to do a fundraiser in Discovery Bay.
It turned out to become a 2-day event. Mainly creating awareness for the RMHC. Total donations where HKD 4000.
If you can please help or use your imagination to do a fundraiser.
Rob
