Ronald McDonald House Central New South Wales in Orange provides accommodation for families that are coming to Orange for medical treatment.
Ronald McDonald House Central NSW provides accommodation and ‘wrap-around’ support for families with ill and injured children from across the region through the House on hospital grounds in Orange, and now also offers programs in the Dubbo and Bathurst Hospitals. The House is located within a 250m walk from Orange Hospital, directly opposite Western Care Lodge and The Country Club, in the leafy grounds of Bloomfield campus.
Ronald McDonald House Orange provides accommodation, at no cost to families, who need to travel more than 25kms from their home so that ill or injured child can receive treatment with specialists or at Hospital in Orange.
Executive Officer, Rebecca Walsh, says one of the things that they’re trying to amplify is who’s eligible and that Ronald McDonald House does exist in the Central West. “I think by the very nature of the larger [city] houses that are well established and the marketing we do as a national charity, people often think their kids aren’t sick enough or not eligible because they think about the extremely unwell children with cancer that need our support.”
Families travel to Orange for a range of treatment for their child such as ear, nose and throat surgery, fracture clinic, orthopaedics, dental surgery as well as trauma care. Orange is also an important centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health with one of the State’s specialist units being located close to Ronald McDonald House in the grounds of Bloomfield campus.
High-risk pregnant women from across the region receive specialist care in Orange
“We also support families that are coming into Orange to birth. Mums that are classified as a high-risk pregnancy come because Orange is a medical hub, and they are travelling from right across the Central West if the level of care they need can’t be provided in their home town,” she said. “Probably 80% of our families come from the Western New South Wales Health District because of the incredible available specialist services in Orange.”
Lou (pictured with Henry) and her husband Garry stayed with Ronald McDonald House in Orange for two weeks during Lou’s pregnancy after their routine scan at 21 weeks. The day after it looked necessary to transfer to be close to a neonatal NICU in Newcastle, Henry was born at 24 weeks weighing just 560grams. Over the last four years Henry, Lou and Garry have been able to stay at the House in Orange and also in Westmead when Henry needed to visit specialists for treatment and therapy.
Supporting families at their child’s bedside across the Central West – in Dubbo and Bathurst
A lot of the local work is also focused on the high volume of families and great need for support in Dubbo, so from late August 2024 Ronald McDonald House launched a Hospital Cart program to help increase the number of families they could care for along with those who are accommodated at the House in Orange. In May 2026 the Hospital Cart program also launched in the Bathurst Hospital to help grow the number of families that Ronald McDonald House supports in the Central West region.
“The Hospital Cart program is a bedside service that visit’s families in the Paediatric Ward and the Special Care Nursery in Dubbo and Bathurst Hospitals and is run by a team of caring and supportive Volunteers. The Cart itself is a custom built trolley with essential items such as toiletries for families that are sleeping beside the beds, activity packs for the kids in the beds on the ward, snacks and bottles of water. We hope to grow it over time and get support from the Dubbo community to eventually be able to put things on like fresh fruit for families as well.”
Volunteers make the world a supportive place, 365 days of the year.
Ronald McDonald House Central West is run by 3 full time staff, a part time staff member and a dedicated and caring team of over 140 Volunteers in Orange, Dubbo and Bathurst. From running the Hospital Cart programs in Dubbo and Bathurst, to various roles in Orange at the House including housekeeping and turning rooms over, administration and reception roles and our vital Overnight Family Ambassadors – everyone who Volunteers at Ronald McDonald House Central West enjoys giving back to the community by supporting families when they are often going through some of the hardest times in their life.
“We’ve got volunteers that fulfil roles such as overnight volunteering, housekeeping, reception and administration and they’re here for the families that are in the house already but also for if hospital calls after hours to bring a family over in an emergency. The Board of Directors and Gala Ball committee are all volunteer roles too, so we are always looking for new people. They are the heart and soul of Ronald McDonald House Central West.”
Rebecca would love to have more skilled volunteers join the gala ball committee from Orange and especially from some of the towns Ronald McDonald House helps. “It’s the largest fundraiser of our year, and we think it’s important that some of our volunteers, where possible, can be from within the community that we we serve,” she said.
Schools and community fund raising
As well as fundraising with the Gala Ball each year, events are held throughout the year across the region including ‘Redtember’ in September, ‘McHappy Day’ in November, and ‘CEO Walk in My Shoes’ which is a 24 hr immersive experience for leaders in our community to see what it’s like to ‘walk in the shoes’ of a family staying at Ronald McDonald House.
“All of the ideas are concepts that anyone can be involved in and help them feel like they’re contributing, and they also help raise awareness of the house,” she said. “We really hope that Ronald McDonald House is front of mind for people who may need us one day or may know of someone who may benefit from receiving support when they have a ill or injured child. We are also establishing committees in towns and communities which we serve to help us to raise awareness and to fundraise. It’s important to have community members and past families on these committees as they have the lived experience, and are our family ambassadors.”
Half a century supporting families with allied medical needs
Ronald McDonald House is a global charity founded in 1974 in Philadelphia, USA. Dr Audrey Evans, an oncologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, had a vision for providing a place for families to live and get proper rest away from the ward while their children were undergoing treatment. Funds to build the first House were raised by the local McDonald’s restaurant and in exchange for their support it was named “Ronald McDonald House”. The first Ronald McDonald House in Australia was opened in Camperdown, NSW in 1981 and was also made possible through the generous support of McDonald’s Restaurant franchisees. We’re proud to celebrate 55 years of the charity in Australia helping families when they needed it most – caring for their ill or injured child.
Rebecca added, “The McDonald’s organisation and the franchisee owners everywhere do a lot that people don’t see and our Central West franchisee owners are hugely supportive in what they do for our house and helping spread that awareness in the community as well.”
Businesses and volunteers give generously to help us support families
These hard efforts, plus in-kind support from Ronald McDonald House National Corporate Partners and local relationships are integral to the house; suppliers like Sealy, Steggles and Hyundai, national corporate partners providing funds; local computer and IT support; in-house custom-made toiletry packs and friendly Corporate and Community Partners participating in their Corporate Volunteering programs making meals available 24/7 ensures that families have a place to stay within their community when they’re on a medical journey.
Ronald McDonald House Central West – a warm and supportive ‘home’ where families can breath while getting the care and support they need.
To find out more about getting involved with Ronald McDonald House Central West NSW please visit their website at: www.ronaldmcdonaldhousecwnsw.org.au
