Officials with FortisAlberta, Ronald McDonald House Charities and AHS alongside the Comfort Cart. (rdnewsNOW/Sheldon Spackman)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Ronald McDonald House Volunteers

Patient-centred initiative rolls comfort to the bedside at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre

Feb 22, 2023 | 3:52 PM

A specially stocked cart and a group of volunteers are helping roll out a new patient comfort initiative for families with children in care at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC).

Circulating between Pediatrics, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), postpartum and the child and youth Addiction and Mental Health units, officials with Alberta Health Services (AHS) say the Comfort Cart now offers up an assortment of little conveniences intended to help make the time in hospital a little easier for families.

“It can be incredibly stressful for families to have a child hospitalized. This cart is a way we can offer them a bit more comfort while they’re here with their child,” says Sandi Sebastian, Interim Senior Operating Officer for RDRHC and Director of Women’s and Children’s Health Services. “Be it a snack, a toothbrush or a crossword puzzle, sometimes the small things of home can have a big impact and make a positive difference.”

In addition to bottled water and juices, granola bars and other snacks, the Comfort Cart provides tissues, reading material, activity books and hygiene items like toothbrushes. Volunteers from Ronald McDonald House circulate with the cart to the various units, offering items to families.

“Red Deer and central Alberta have always been so very generous in providing items for families within the hospital setting and our strong partnership with Ronald McDonald House for women and children is only strengthened by the use of this cart for our families,” adds Sebastian.

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Officials say the cart is made possible by support from Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta.

RMHC Comfort Cart. (rdnewsNOW/Sheldon Spackman)

“The Comfort Cart brings internationally recognized Ronald McDonald House hospitality to a child’s bedside at the hospital,” says Jason Evanson, CEO of RMHC Alberta. “Families often spend hours at the hospital. The program enables us to support more families outside of the House, and it plays an important role in enhancing family-centered care.”

Those little comforts also open up conversation, allowing the volunteers to provide personalized visiting and companionship, officials point out.

“Whether we provide a fresh cup of coffee, a box of Lego, a book, board game or simply conversation with a volunteer, the Comfort Cart delivers a figurative hug to families who need a lift while dealing with pediatric medical treatment day in and day out,” adds Evanson.

RMHC Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Clermont anticipates the initiative to impact over 2,000 people this year alone.

“The program is designed to decrease the stress and alleviate the burdens that families, caregivers, and patients are dealing with so that families can focus on each other and their health,” explains Clermont. “And I think that the community of central Alberta is to be thanked for their donations of in-kind gifts and items that will stock and support this program.”

Funding support to keep the cart supplied is provided by FortisAlberta’s Community Investment programs. For 15 years, officials note FortisAlberta’ has funded projects at both the Red Deer and Calgary Ronald McDonald House locations, committing to a lifetime gift of over $124,000.

“We’re so grateful for the support from Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta for bringing the Comfort Cart to the hospital,” says Sebastian. “From the funding to ensure they’re supplied, to volunteers signing on to make the rounds to visit families, that kind of generous commitment has a significant impact on health delivery in so many ways.”

Officials note Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta helps keep families together when they need it most. The Houses in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, and Medicine Hat provide a home-away-from-home to over 1,200 families each year who must travel for their child’s vital medical treatment. By enabling families to stay together, in close proximity to a hospital, officials further point out that Ronald McDonald House vastly improves the quality and experience of the care of the child and the wellbeing of the family, while reducing the family’s stress, sense of isolation, and financial burden.