Raising vital funds for seriously ill or injured children and their families

2 September 2024: This week, Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern New South Wales (RMHC Northern NSW) is celebrating a landmark milestone - the 20th annual Ride for Sick Kids (RFSK) fundraiser, raising vital funds for seriously ill or injured children and their families.

From Tuesday 3 to Saturday 7 September, up to 25 cyclists will ride over 500km making the journey from Glen Innes to Newcastle with the aim of raising 1,481 nights of accommodation at Ronald McDonald House (equivalent to $200,000).

All funds raised go directly to RMHC Northern NSW, to help the charity continue to support seriously ill and injured children and their families, including Darcy’s family who have been supported since he was diagnosed with bone marrow failure in 2019.

Darcy and his family have been able to take a break from the hospital ward in the Ronald McDonald Family Room and Ronald McDonald Family Retreat, which has provided them with a safe haven to spend much-needed time together.

Darcy’s mum, Karli said: “The Newcastle House has been a place where we can take some time away from the hospital, to find a sense of normality - spending time on Darcy’s school work, watching a movie or sitting out in the sun, helping us pass the many hours of waiting anxiously for blood results.

“The support we have received from Ronald McDonald House Charities has been incredible and we are extremely grateful to have support for our whole family during this worrying and stressful time.”

Now in its 20th year, Ride for Sick Kids is a vital fundraiser that helps RMHC Northern NSW provide accommodation for up to 27 families of seriously ill or injured children every night.

Ross Bingham, CEO for RMHC Northern NSW and 2024 rider said: “Family milestones and highlights are the magical memories that a family creates and shares together. This year, we are celebrating our very own milestone – 20 years of Ride for Sick Kids, as part of our efforts to make sure that no child needs to miss a milestone or celebration due to illness.

“We are grateful for all the support over the past 20 years and can’t wait to hit the road for this very special year over the coming days. While it’s a gruelling journey, it's all for a great cause – to help keep our doors open to families when they need us the most.”

The RMHC Northern NSW Ride for Sick Kids fundraiser was founded 20 years ago, in 2005. In its inaugural year, 14 riders cycled from Inverell to Newcastle raising more than $80,000.

In the past 20 years, over 100 riders have cycled more than 12,000 kilometres across Northern New South Wales, raising funds to provide 32,592 nights of accommodation for families of seriously ill or injured children.

Today, Ride for Sick Kids Northern NSW raises on average 1,400 nights of accommodation for families of ill or injured children, every year.

The local Northern NSW community can support the fundraiser by:

• Donating to a rider by visiting: RMHC NNSW : Sponsor Select
• Participating in the Community Ride where individuals, schools, gyms, sporting groups and local businesses can also ride and fundraise by signing up here: Community Ride | Ride for Sick Kids 2022 (rmhc.org.au)

For more information visit: www.rideforsickkids.org.au.

ENDS

Confirmed Route:

• Day 1: Tuesday, 3 September - Glen Innes to Armidale
• Day 2: Wednesday, 4 September – Armidale to Tamworth
• Day 3: Thursday, 5 September – Tamworth to Scone
• Day 4: Friday, 6 September – Scone to Singleton
• Day 5: Saturday, 7 September – Singleton to Newcastle

About Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern NSW:

RMHC Northern NSW has two Ronald McDonald Houses (Newcastle and Tamworth), three Ronald McDonald Family Rooms (John Hunter Children’s Hospital J1 Children’s Ward and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Newcastle and Gosford Hospital in the Central Coast), a Ronald McDonald Family Retreat (Forster) as well as a Ronald McDonald Learning Program. These programs provide much-needed respite for parents caring for a seriously ill child and a friendly place where families can spend quality time together.

All proceeds from Ride for Sick Kids Northern NSW will be donated to RMHC Northern NSW.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities:

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is an independent charity that helps 60,000 seriously ill children and their families each year.

The cornerstone program of RMHC, the Ronald McDonald House, provides a ‘home away from home’ for families of seriously ill and injured children being treated at nearby hospitals. The Houses keep families close by giving parents and siblings the opportunity to stay together to support their sick loved ones. RMHC currently has 18 Houses throughout Australia accommodating more than 10,000 families annually.

Other programs include the Ronald McDonald Family Room Program which provides a relaxing haven within hospitals giving families a break from the stress of many hours spent by their child’s bedside, and The Ronald McDonald Learning Program which currently helps over 1,100 children on any given week catch up on missed schooling following a serious illness.

Additionally, The Ronald McDonald Family Retreat Program provides families with seriously ill children a week’s free accommodation at one of five family retreats across Australia, enabling them to reconnect and enjoy a holiday when they most need it and can least afford it.

More information on RMHC, please visit rmhc.org.au.

About McDonald’s Australia:

Australia’s first McDonald’s restaurant opened in Yagoona, Sydney, in 1971. Today there are over 1,025 McDonald’s restaurants across Australia, approximately 85 percent of which are franchised and run by local businessmen and women. The organisation employs more than 115,000 people in restaurants and corporate offices Australia-wide and is one of the largest employers of youth in the country. McDonald’s spends over $60 million per annum on training and people development.

For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com.au or McDonald’s social channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.