For families facing the challenges of having hospitalized children, the Ronald McDonald Family Room offers a sanctuary within the hospital itself. Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Intermountain Area (RMHC) is thrilled to announce another expansion with the opening of a new Family Room at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, Larry H. and Gail Miller Family Campus in Lehi. The facility is poised to serve over 3,000 families from along the Wasatch Front and beyond every year, providing transformative family-centered care and support.
The newly added Family Room, spanning 3,200 square feet, includes four private nap and sleep rooms, laundry facilities, showers, a guest computer bar, a comfortable living room, and a fully stocked kitchen with community-supported meals, snacks, and more.
According to Lisa Paletta, president of the Miller Family Campus, the space will cater to the needs of families with children in various inpatient units, including the NICU, PICU, Adolescent Behavioral Health, and general or specialized pediatric medicine.
“Our young patients need their parents by their side, and parents need a place to rest and recharge so they can be there for their kids,” Paletta said. “We’re so grateful to have a Ronald MacDonald Family Room at Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi to fill this vital need.”
RMHC’s CEO, Carrie Romano, expressed excitement about expanding the charity’s services into Utah County.
“We’ve been relieving the day-to-day burdens for families with hospitalized children for thirty-five years in Salt Lake City,” Romano said. “Now we’ll be offering free lodging, food, and compassionate respite care here in Lehi so families can focus on what’s most important–the healing and well-being of their children.”
The Family Room also provides local individuals and groups with opportunities to serve families in need according to Kacie Pecor, RMHC’s chief development and engagement officer. “Our work is fueled by financial donors, and also by local volunteers who help with meals for families in the Family Room,” Pecor said. “We’re inviting local families, church groups, business groups, and more to sign up now, help prepare and serve meals to these amazing families.”
RMHC expresses its immense gratitude to all of the donors that have generously supported this program especially, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Foundation, George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Mountain America Credit Union, Brad and Megan Bonham, Jim and Carol Laub Family Foundation, Tony and Lollie Broadbent, James and Andrea Clarke, whose generous contributions have made the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, Miller Family Campus a reality.
For more information, please visit ronaldmcdonaldhouseutah.org.
The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities is to surround families with the support they need to be near and care for their seriously ill or injured children. RMHC provides a home-away-from-home to ease daily burdens and empower families of hospitalized children with meaningful experiences and quality time together.
Blair Hodges
Director of Communications
blair@rmhslc.org
